That Time Arby's And Old Spice Came Together For A Meat-Inspired Collaboration

The culinary world is no stranger to weird fast food collaborations between celebrities, beauty brands, and luxury clothing labels. From eyeshadow shades inspired by Chipotle ingredients to Crocs printed with images of Kentucky Fried Chicken, food and fashion regularly fraternize. In 2022, Arby's and Old Spice teamed up for a ... steamy project. Together, the sandwich-slinging restaurant and antiperspirant peddler released a pair of limited-edition products targeting what the duo called "the meat sweats."

The collaborative Meat Sweat Defense Kit consisted of two bottles of Old Spice's Sweat Defense Spray, a roast beef patterned sweat suit, a $15 Arby's gift card, and a towel and headband (presumably for absorbing sandwich-induced perspiration). Promotion for the package included a mashup ad featuring the rugged image of Old Spice spokesman Isaiah Mustafa and the voice of Arby's, Ving Rhames. Despite the apparent niche enigma the products claimed to address (meat sweats), the defense kit sold out in under three hours.

Arby's has consistently been a font of unusual lore, and the Meat Sweat Defense Kit isn't the first questionably named product to come from the brand whose slogan has become "we have the meats." In 2014, Arby's began selling a "secret" sandwich called the Meat Mountain, stacked with nine different varieties of meat. In 2018, Arby's and eyewear company Warby Parker teased a collaboration they called "WArby's". The campaign, which was later revealed to be an April Fool's Day prank, advertised a crispy onion ring "monocle," meaty merch, and a pair of eyeglasses covered in a pink, marbled, roast beef print.

While roast beef has always been the chain's bread and butter, the first-ever Arby's menu looked a little different than today's. Opened in 1964 in Boardman, Ohio, the first Arby's location focused mainly on what has become the restaurant's signature dish: The minimalist menu featured primarily 69-cent roast beef sandwiches and drinks.