Product Analysis

2. Gillette Fusion
ProGlide Power
Intro to Marketing March 2013
By: Robin Bertelsen, Aman Kapoor, Gordon Kramer
Rajesh Madhawarayan and Frankie Wong

3. A Quick History of Safety Razor Marketing

4. In the Beginning
• 1828: Straight
razors invented in
Sheffield, England
• 1904: King Camp
Gillette patented the
first safety razor
• 1928: Lt. Col Jacob
Schick created the
electric razor

5. Gillette: The Early Years
• One razor and 12 double-edged blades: $5
(a year's supply)
o Return the 12 blades and get six free
o 12 blades alone: $1
o Star "hoe-style" razor was $1.45
• Sears finally offered package for discount
• 1921 new high-end model and old razor
deep price cut and sales exploded!

6. ProGlide Power: Product Market

7. Competitive Environment
• Competitive Environment
o Internal: Mach3, Fusion
o External: Energizer Holdings' Schick Hydro, Quattro
• Competitive Advantages
o Thinner, finer blades
o MicroComb
o Precision Trimmer
o 5-week life per cartridge
o Lubrastrip
• Sustainable Competitive Advantage
o None

8. Technological Environment
• Sponsored link on Google
• Website optimized for iPad and iPhone
• Blogs
• Online retail: Amazon.com
• Facebook
• Twitter

9. Cultural and Social Environment
• ProGlide Power is targeted at GenX and GenY, not
Baby Boomers
• Packaging explains value prop in:
o English
o French
o Spanish
• Product targeted at USA, Mexico and Canada markets

10. ProGlide Power: Target Market

11. Target Market
• Demographics
o Males (GenX, GenY)
• Lifestyle (Psychographics)
o Well groomed
o Self aware
o Busy, Urban
• Socio-economic
o Middle class and above

12. Target Market - Indicators
• Product
o Appeal to gadget savvy consumers
 High-end technology
 Upgrade from earlier Gillette razors
• Promotion
o Commercials targeted to younger audience
o Website introduces concepts like Male grooming, body shave
• Price
o Relatively expensive: Younger audience likely to switch for
brand, status, top of line

13. ProGlide Power:
Not your grandfather's razor

15. Advertisement Analysis
• Emphasis on technology of product
o Differentiation between electronic, disposable razor
and regular disposable razor
• Gillette's role as innovator
o Reminder of Gillette's historic place in razor and
blade industry
• Sense of humor
o Appeal strongly to Gen X and Millennial males
o Strong male figure consistent with Gillette's other
advertising campaigns

16. The Future of Razor Sales?