Procter & Gamble points to a successful campaign for its Old Spice grooming brand as an example of the type of marketing that connects with consumers because it reflects brand "purpose."

"Our marketing spend is becoming more and more effective," President and CEO Bob McDonald told analysts during an Oct. 27 earnings call, noting the firm is seeing higher rates of return on campaigns that are particularly successful in portraying that bigger picture.

For example, Old Spice defines its purpose to men as "helping guys navigate the seas of manhood," the exec said. "We think about guys' lives in a larger context than just consuming body wash and deodorants, and this is the power of purpose," he told analysts.

P&G launched an Old Spice campaign earlier this year called "Smell like a man, man," comprising a series of TV spots featuring former football player Isaiah Mustafa.

In the tongue-in-cheek ad series, the shirtless Mustafa - presented as the perfect man through demonstration of his diverse skills (log-rolling, baking a cake in the "dream kitchen" he built, alternately riding a horse and straddling a motorcycle, etc.) - asks women: "Does your man look like me? No. Can he smell like me? Yes."

The ads have proven infectious online, taking on lives of their own via YouTube and Twitter.

The campaign has been so effective, P&G is getting impressions "we didn't pay for," McDonald said. P&G has developed numerous ads based on consumer input, which have resulted in millions of hits on YouTube. Consumers have also used Twitter to connect with the brand and ask Mustafa questions.

"We've turned [Old Spice] into a big idea," McDonald said. "We've turned it into consumer engagement. And we've turned it into a movement."

P&G is maintaining a "high" investment level in its men's personal-care division moving forward to support innovation and new products, the firm says.

The performance of Old Spice and Gillette during the first quarter grew the segment's unit volume mid-single digits.

In male razors, Fusion blades and razors increased their value share more than five points to capture over 35 percent of the market, driven by the continued strength of the ProGlide launch, the firm reported. ProGlide is slated to roll out to more than 40 countries overall within 18 months.

Net sales for the grooming segment during the first quarter (ended Sept. 30) bumped up 2 percent to $1.9 billion. Organically, sales increased 6 percent, P&G says. Net earnings for the unit increased 13 percent to $398 million.

In the beauty segment, retail hair-care volume rose mid-single digits, with double-digit growth in developing regions led by Pantene and Head & Shoulders , according to P&G. However, a decline in premium product sales led to a flat performance for the beauty division overall, which finished the quarter at $4.9 billion. Net earnings for beauty increased 7 percent to $829 million.

McDonald highlighted some achievements of the firm's oral-care business in the first quarter. Following the launch of the Crest 3D White whitening franchise in March, the line is "off to a great start in the U.S., with strong retailer support," he said.

"After six months in the U.S., 3D White paste has already achieved a 5.8 percent share in tracked channels, which is more than five times ahead of Colgate's launch of ProClinical [toothpaste] over the same time frame," the exec noted.

During the first quarter, the launch of 3D helped global shipments of P&G's oral-care products increase high-single digits in both the U.S. and on a global basis, the firm says. Shipments of Crest Clinical toothpaste, which rolled out in August, and expansion of Oral-B toothpaste in foreign markets also spurred volume growth.

P&G's net sales in the first quarter increased 2 percent to $20.1 billion, with organic sales climbing 4 percent. Net income fell 7 percent to $3.08 billion.

- Eileen Francis

Importance Of Brand "Purpose": P&G's Old Spice Ads Beget Free Impressions

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