case study on consumer behavior gillette

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Gillette Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study

Gillette, a renowned brand in the wet shave category, has consistently implemented successful marketing strategies to stay ahead in the market. With a century-long legacy, Gillette has constantly focused on incremental product improvements and migrating consumers to new models. This article examines the marketing strategies employed by Gillette to address challenges, target specific consumer segments, and create a strong brand presence.

In 2010, Gillette faced a significant challenge due to the global financial crisis, as consumers downgraded to cheaper private-label razors. To combat this, Gillette devised a targeted marketing campaign aimed at the current Mach 3 users, a demographic consisting of 18-34-year-olds with low to middle income and a high level of brand loyalty. By tying the product to professional sports and video games, Gillette successfully converted Mach 3 users to the Fusion model. Limited-edition versions of Fusion tied to local football teams and video game releases were launched, accompanied by print ads, radio ads, e-commerce, websites, banner ads, and Google search advertising. As a result, Fusion sales in Walmart witnessed a remarkable 20% increase during the campaign period.

Key Takeaways:

• Gillette’s marketing strategy focuses on incremental product improvements and migrating consumers to new models.
• The brand successfully targeted the current Mach 3 users, aged 18-34, with low to middle income and high brand loyalty.
• Tying Fusion to professional sports and video games proved to be an effective tactic in converting Mach 3 users.
• A comprehensive marketing campaign incorporating various channels and advertising mediums was instrumental in driving sales growth.
• The strategy resulted in a significant 20% increase in Fusion sales at Walmart during the campaign period.

Gillette’s Success Story

Gillette’s success can be attributed to its comprehensive research, understanding of consumer preferences, and continuous innovation. The brand focuses on creating a strong foundation by identifying gaps and opportunities in the market. Gillette’s marketing strategy revolves around promoting its products through various channels and creating a strong brand image. The company also sets goals for its workers to drive motivation and encourage innovation. Gillette’s success is evident in its wide product portfolio, which includes razors, trimmers, blades, deodorants, body washes, shaving creams, gels, foams, skincare, and aftershaves. The brand’s pricing strategy emphasizes quality over quantity, and its distribution channels ensure accessibility to customers worldwide. Gillette’s advertising campaigns create an emotional connection with customers, portraying strong and confident men. The brand’s success is also attributed to its ability to adapt to changing market trends, expanding its product offerings beyond razors to cater to evolving customer needs.

Gillette’s Marketing Campaigns

Gillette has a proven track record of launching impactful marketing campaigns that aim to create an emotional connection with customers. By challenging stereotypes and inspiring individuals, Gillette’s advertising strategies have successfully resonated with their target audience.

One notable campaign, “Barbershop Girls: #shaving stereotypes” , took a stand against gender stereotypes in the workforce. This campaign shared the inspiring story of Neha and Jyoti from village Banwari tola in Uttar Pradesh, showcasing their journey in the male-dominated barbershop industry. By highlighting the strength and determination of these women, Gillette aimed to promote inclusivity and break traditional gender barriers.

In another impactful campaign, “Story of Lt Col Manoj Kumar Sinha: #Manenough” , Gillette addressed the masculinity stereotype and encouraged men to embrace their emotions. By showcasing the story of Lt Col Manoj Kumar Sinha, who defied societal norms and expressed his vulnerability, Gillette aimed to redefine masculinity and promote a more inclusive definition of manhood.

Moreover, Gillette has launched campaigns to support barbers during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the pivotal role of barbers in our communities, Gillette has provided resources and highlighted their contribution to society.

Overall, Gillette’s marketing campaigns go beyond promoting their products; they aim to make a meaningful impact, challenge norms, and create an emotional connection with customers.

Impactful Gillette Marketing Campaigns

Gillette’s digital marketing key strategies.

Gillette understands the importance of digital marketing in today’s digital age and has implemented key strategies to effectively reach its target audience. The brand leverages social media marketing , influencer collaborations, and search engine optimization to enhance its online presence and engage with customers.

Social Media Marketing

Gillette recognizes the immense potential of social media platforms for brand visibility and customer engagement. The brand maintains a strong presence on major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Through these channels, Gillette shares engaging content, promotes its products, and interacts with its followers, building a loyal online community. The brand harnesses the power of social media to showcase its brand values and connect with customers on a more personal level.

Influencer Collaborations

To extend its reach and tap into specific age groups, Gillette collaborates with influential personalities on platforms like Instagram. The brand partners with Instagram influencers who align with its target audience demographics. By working with influencers, Gillette ensures that its products are showcased to a wider audience, resonating with consumers and driving brand awareness. Not only does the brand collaborate with male influencers, but it also collaborates with female influencers to promote Gillette products as thoughtful gifts to husbands, boyfriends, or family members.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Gillette understands the importance of appearing at the top of search engine results when potential customers are seeking relevant information. The brand focuses on optimizing its website to improve its ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs). Gillette strategically answers popular “How to” questions related to personal grooming and other relevant topics on its website. By providing informative and relevant content, Gillette not only boosts its visibility in search results but also establishes itself as an authority in the industry.

Through these key digital marketing strategies, Gillette enhances its brand visibility, engages with its target audience, and drives customer loyalty. By embracing the power of digital platforms, Gillette stays at the forefront of marketing trends , ensuring its continued success.

Gillette’s Marketing Mix

Gillette employs a comprehensive marketing mix that encompasses four key elements: product, price, place, and promotion. This strategic approach allows the brand to effectively reach its target audience and maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Product Strategy

Gillette offers a wide range of grooming products to cater to the diverse needs of its customers. From razors and trimmers to deodorants and skincare products, Gillette’s product portfolio is designed to provide a holistic grooming experience. This extensive range enables the brand to meet the varying preferences and requirements of consumers.

Price Strategy

Gillette employs a premium pricing strategy, emphasizing the quality and value delivered by its products. By positioning itself as a premium brand, Gillette associates its offerings with superior performance, durability, and innovation. This pricing approach is intended to convey the brand’s commitment to excellence and justify the investment customers make in Gillette products.

Place Strategy

Gillette has established a global presence, making its products available in over 140 countries. The brand’s manufacturing units located in India, China, the United Kingdom, and the USA enable it to cater to local markets efficiently. Gillette strategically places its products in various retail channels, ensuring widespread accessibility and convenience for customers.

Promotion Strategy

Gillette’s promotion strategy revolves around creating an emotional connection with its customers. The brand’s advertising campaigns portray strong and confident men, resonating with its target audience. Gillette leverages various platforms, including traditional media, influencers, and social media, to effectively promote its products and engage with its customers. By collaborating with influencers and utilizing social media platforms, Gillette extends its reach and maintains a consistent presence in customers’ lives.

SWOT Analysis of Gillette

Gillette, a renowned brand in the men’s grooming market, has several strengths that contribute to its success. The brand excels at addressing changing consumer needs, continuously innovating its products, and benefiting from its merger with Procter and Gamble. With a strong brand image and a wide range of high-quality products, Gillette has established itself as a leader in the industry.

However, one of Gillette’s weaknesses is the high assembly cost of its innovative razors. The brand faces challenges in maintaining profitability due to the production expenses associated with these advanced shaving solutions.

Despite its weaknesses, Gillette has identified several opportunities for growth. The brand recognizes the increasing consumer preference for all-inclusive packages and plans to expand its offerings to cater to this demand. By providing comprehensive grooming solutions in convenient packages, Gillette can attract and retain a broader customer base.

In addition to opportunities, Gillette also faces threats in the competitive market. The brand operates in an industry that is constantly evolving, with competitors vying for market share. To stay ahead and maintain its position, Gillette must continue to prioritize product quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

To summarize, the SWOT analysis of Gillette reveals its strengths in meeting consumer needs and driving innovation. However, the high assembly cost poses a challenge, necessitating the exploration of all-inclusive packages as an opportunity for growth. Gillette must also remain vigilant of competitive threats and uphold its commitment to delivering superior products to stay ahead in the market.

Gillette’s Global Presence

Gillette has established itself as a prominent global brand with a presence in over 140 countries. The company’s expansion strategies and international market penetration have been key factors in its success.

Recognizing the importance of reaching consumers worldwide, Gillette has strategically set up manufacturing units in India, China, the United Kingdom, and the USA. This allows the brand to cater to different markets and ensure its products are readily available to local consumers.

Gillette’s global presence is further strengthened by its focus on expanding its reach into emerging markets. By making its products accessible to local shops and outlets, Gillette aims to penetrate new markets and capture the attention of diverse consumer segments.

The brand understands the need to stay ahead in the competitive market and continually adapt to changing consumer preferences. By keeping a finger on the pulse of evolving trends and demands, Gillette can effectively meet the needs of its global customer base.

Advantages of Gillette’s Global Presence

• Wide geographical coverage: With its products available in over 140 countries, Gillette has established a widespread presence that allows the brand to reach consumers on a global scale.
• Local manufacturing units: By setting up manufacturing facilities in key markets, Gillette can produce products that cater to local preferences and ensure efficient distribution.
• Penetrating emerging markets: Gillette’s focus on expanding into emerging markets presents opportunities for growth and brand exposure in regions with untapped potential.

Gillette’s global presence is a testament to its ability to understand and cater to diverse consumer markets. Through strategic expansion and a commitment to meeting consumer needs, Gillette continues to solidify its position as a leading brand in the global shaving industry.

The Importance of Consumer Research

Gillette’s success can be attributed to its comprehensive consumer research. The brand places high importance on understanding consumer preferences, which allows them to identify gaps and opportunities in the market. Consumer research provides valuable insights for brand development and helps create a strong foundation for business growth. Gillette’s ability to adapt to changing consumer needs and preferences is a key factor in its success.

Understanding consumer preferences is essential for any brand looking to thrive in a competitive market. Consumer research allows Gillette to gain a deep understanding of their target audience, their needs, desires, and pain points. This knowledge enables them to tailor their products, marketing strategies, and customer experiences to effectively meet consumer demands.

Consumer research also helps Gillette identify gaps in the market and uncover new opportunities for innovation and expansion. By studying consumer behavior, preferences, and trends, the brand can develop products and services that resonate with their target audience, filling a void in the market and gaining a competitive edge.

Furthermore, consumer research plays a crucial role in brand development. By understanding consumer preferences, Gillette can refine its brand identity, positioning, and messaging to align with customer values and aspirations. This allows the brand to establish a strong emotional connection with consumers and build long-lasting relationships.

Gillette’s commitment to consumer research underscores its dedication to delivering products and experiences that truly meet the needs and preferences of its customers. By staying attuned to changing consumer trends and leveraging in-depth consumer insights, Gillette remains a leading brand in the men’s grooming market.

The Power of Emotional Marketing

Gillette has successfully utilized emotional marketing techniques to create a strong brand image and connect with customers. By portraying strong, confident men in its advertising campaigns, Gillette taps into consumers’ emotions and creates a sense of achievement. Emotional marketing goes beyond simply promoting a product; it captures the interest and loyalty of customers, ultimately leading to brand success.

Emotional marketing is a powerful tool for creating a brand image that resonates with customers. By evoking emotions such as confidence, aspiration, and pride, Gillette establishes a connection with its target audience. These emotional connections build trust and loyalty, driving customers to choose Gillette products over competitors.

In Gillette’s advertising campaigns, they showcase individuals who embody the qualities that their target audience aspires to possess. Whether it’s a professional athlete, a successful businessman, or a devoted father, Gillette’s ads create a sense of admiration and motivation. By associating their brand with these role models, Gillette inspires consumers to believe that by using their products, they too can achieve greatness.

Furthermore, emotional marketing helps Gillette stand out in a crowded market. While other brands may focus solely on product features and benefits, Gillette recognizes the importance of connecting with customers on a deeper level. This emotional connection fosters long-lasting relationships and sets Gillette apart as a brand that understands and values its customers’ aspirations.

By leveraging emotional marketing strategies, Gillette has successfully created a brand image that resonates with customers, making it a leader in the men’s grooming industry. The power of emotional marketing lies in its ability to go beyond product features and tap into the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of consumers. Gillette’s approach has not only connected with customers but has also established a strong brand image that sets them apart from their competitors.

Balancing Target Marketing and Mass Marketing

Gillette’s marketing strategy highlights the significance of both target marketing and mass marketing in achieving effective marketing campaigns. While the brand strategically targets specific market segments, such as the 18-35 year old Mach 3 users in their Fusion campaign, they also invest in long-term mass marketing efforts to build brand image and reach a broader audience.

Research has consistently shown that a combination of target marketing and mass marketing yields the best results for brand effectiveness. Target marketing allows Gillette to tailor their messaging and offerings to specific consumer groups, ensuring maximum relevance and appeal. On the other hand, mass marketing initiatives enable the brand to create widespread awareness, increase brand familiarity, and capture a broader share of the market.

Gillette’s success lies in their ability to strike a balance between these two approaches and create impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with both targeted segments and the wider public. By employing targeted efforts to engage specific demographics while simultaneously leveraging mass marketing to expand their reach, Gillette maximizes their brand exposure and fosters customer loyalty.

This approach is particularly evident in Gillette’s Fusion campaign, where they targeted Mach 3 users within the 18-35 age range. Through this targeted marketing strategy, Gillette effectively communicated the unique benefits and features of their Fusion product line, successfully persuading consumers to upgrade. At the same time, the brand’s long-term mass marketing campaigns, including advertising through various channels and collaborations with influencers, played a crucial role in building brand awareness and establishing Gillette as a household name.

Target Marketing vs. Mass Marketing: A Comparative Overview

In conclusion, Gillette’s successful marketing strategy is a testament to the power of balancing target marketing and mass marketing. By utilizing both approaches, Gillette achieves the best of both worlds, effectively engaging specific market segments while significantly expanding their brand presence. This strategic balance enables Gillette to create impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with their target audience and maintain a competitive edge in the industry.

The Role of Innovation in Gillette’s Success

Innovation has been instrumental in driving Gillette’s success in the highly competitive market of men’s grooming products. The brand understands the significance of staying ahead of the game by continuously developing new products and making incremental improvements to their existing range. By embracing innovation in marketing and product development, Gillette has managed to cater to the ever-evolving needs and preferences of consumers.

Gillette’s commitment to continuous product improvements allows them to maintain a competitive advantage and retain customer loyalty. Their dedication to innovation ensures that their products are always at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and superior performance. This not only resonates with consumers who value quality and innovation but also attracts new customers who seek top-notch grooming solutions.

Furthermore, Gillette’s emphasis on innovation extends beyond product development. The brand explores innovative marketing strategies to effectively reach and engage their target audience. From collaborating with social media influencers to leveraging digital platforms, Gillette utilizes innovative marketing techniques that capture the attention and interest of their customers.

By staying abreast of market trends and continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation, Gillette has managed to stay ahead in the market. Their dedication to driving change and exceeding customer expectations has solidified their position as a brand that consumers trust and rely on for their grooming needs.

Gillette’s marketing strategy has been a resounding success, thanks to its comprehensive research, deep understanding of consumer preferences, and commitment to continuous innovation. By creating an emotional connection with customers and striking the right balance between target marketing and mass marketing, Gillette has achieved remarkable results.

The brand’s global presence and strategic marketing mix have allowed it to maintain a competitive edge in the industry. Gillette’s commitment to consumer research has provided valuable insights into market gaps and opportunities, enabling the brand to stay ahead of the curve. Additionally, Gillette’s effective use of emotional marketing has helped build a strong brand image and fostered a deep connection with its customers.

Key takeaways from Gillette’s marketing strategy include the importance of consumer research in identifying trends and driving brand development, as well as the power of emotional marketing in capturing customers’ interest and loyalty. Gillette’s case study serves as a testament to the effectiveness of a well-executed marketing strategy in fueling brand growth and success.

What is Gillette’s marketing strategy?

Gillette’s marketing strategy focuses on incremental product improvements, migrating consumers to new models, and creating a strong brand image through emotional marketing campaigns.

How does Gillette target its audience?

Gillette targets its audience by focusing on Mach 3 users, aged 18-34, low to middle income, and loyal to the brand. They develop strategies to convert them to Fusion through tie-ins with professional sports and video games.

How does Gillette utilize digital marketing?

Gillette collaborates with influencers on platforms like Instagram, partners with female influencers to promote gifting their products, and utilizes social media platforms to increase brand visibility and engage with customers.

What is Gillette’s marketing mix?

Gillette’s marketing mix includes a diverse range of products, a premium pricing strategy, global accessibility through various distribution channels, and emotional advertising campaigns to create an emotional connection with customers.

What are Gillette’s strengths and weaknesses?

Gillette’s strengths include comprehensive consumer research and continuous innovation, while its weaknesses include the high assembly cost of its razors and the need to maintain quality standards.

How does Gillette maintain a global presence?

Gillette maintains a global presence through manufacturing units in India, China, the United Kingdom, and the USA, as well as making its products accessible to local shops and penetrating emerging markets.

How important is consumer research to Gillette?

Consumer research is crucial to Gillette as it helps the brand understand consumer preferences, identify market gaps and opportunities, and create a strong foundation for business growth.

How does Gillette create an emotional connection with customers?

Gillette creates an emotional connection with customers through advertising campaigns that portray strong and confident men, challenging gender stereotypes, and supporting barbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does Gillette balance target marketing and mass marketing?

Gillette targets specific market segments while also investing in mass marketing campaigns to build brand image and reach a wider audience, finding the right balance between both approaches.

How does innovation contribute to Gillette’s success?

Innovation plays a crucial role in Gillette’s success by allowing the brand to continuously develop new products and make incremental improvements, staying ahead in the market and catering to changing consumer needs.

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Last updated on May 18, 2023

Gillette is one of the most successful consumer brands in history. It’s been at the forefront of the razor category in the men’s grooming department for over a century. 

However, when it launched its new Gillette Fusion, it struggled to convert current customers to the newer, sleeker, improved and more expensive model.

Coupled with the 2008 Financial Crisis and lack of product awareness, people were holding back. The razor brand stubbled… I mean stumbled to get itself back up.

We break down their marketing and advertising campaign that ended up giving Gillette 20% increase in total sales in Walmart. 

How they used market segmentation and targeting in their campaigns can be applied in small businesses as well.

Let’s get shaving.

Topics Covered:

• The customer avatar worksheet
• Marketing at different stages of the funnel

Defining campaign objectives

• Marketing for awareness and conversion campaigns

Using the Customer Avatar Worksheet

Marketing Week columnist Mark Ritson explains how, in 2010, Gillette used a combination of mass marketing that built on its brand image as ‘the best a man can get’ and targeted advertising to grow sales.

Gillette could have easily said, “but I don’t just serve men from 18-34, I serve any man who has facial hair”.

If you’re thinking this about your product too, you’ll probably want to pay a little attention here. 

Sure Gillette’s razors could be USED by everyone, but if they wanted to be the ONLY LOGICAL CHOICE for anyone in that age group, they had to target them specifically. And it was through target market segmentation that they were able to identify their:

• Goals and Aspirations
• Desires for themselves and those around them
• What’s their average day like
• Spending habits
• Challenges when it comes to maintaining facial hair
• Obstacles when buying a razor
• Brands, influencers and activities they resonate with
• Must-haves in a shaver
• Deal killers when choosing a shaving appliance

It’s easy for business owners to get so focused on WHAT they’re selling that they forget to think about WHO they’re selling to. 

You might be interested in:  The Customer Avatar Worksheet: Clarify Your Message & Attract More Leads

If a big brand like Gillette, with hundreds of thousands of customers, could still focus on the individual customer avatar, there’s no reason why small businesses can’t.

You could have the greatest product on earth, but if you’re trying to sell it to the wrong person, you’re never going to hit your sales numbers.

Through understanding the demographics and psychographics of their target customer…

Gillette was able to associate themselves with the right brands (NFL, PGA, NBA) and the right influencers (Thierry Henry, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods) to create an aspirational identity their target audience had an affinity with. 

Marketing at the different stages of the funnel

Any business owner who tracks their numbers knows that acquisition is the highest cost to their business. And it’s easiest to sell to existing customers who’ve already experienced their brand.

1. For new customers, they needed an awareness campaign. It was crucial that more people needed to know about their brand.

And so, they tapped on the captive audience of NFL, PGA, FIFA and NHL fans who played video games. And they chose these platforms because of the customer avatar activity that they’ve already identified to be their target audience.

2. The other group would be their existing customers and people who had a high purchase intent. Gillette employed a Point-of-Purchase advertising campaign with the same messaging. 

At this point, people are very ready to buy. They’re problem aware, solution aware and brand aware. They just need a little push and a logical reason to make the final decision. 

And when they’re so far down the sales funnel, they’re usually comparing products. For instance, someone looking for a new pair of CrossFit shoes might search for Nike Metcon vs Reebok Nano.

In this case, Gillette used a comparison against their own product that they wanted to upsell – getting Mach 3 users to switch to Fusion Power. 

The company had 3 outcomes they wanted to achieve.

1) Disrupt the men’s grooming market

2) Convert Mach3 users to Fusion

3) Increase Fusion share at Walmart

But they realised many of their customers were looking for more cost-effective options.

If you’ve been in business for long enough, you’d have come across your fair share of bargain hunters too.

They’re just shopping around for the cheapest option, not paying attention to value, but focusing on price.

How to overcome consumers looking for cheap?

The first method could be… not targeting them at all.

Let’s be real, if they don’t have the spending power, you might want to consider focusing your attention elsewhere. But Gillette decided they’d still like to include this group.

So what they did was a mix of mass marketing and niche marketing campaigns.

Mass marketing vs target market segmentation

Marketing channels for awareness and conversion.

Here’s how Gillette executed their mass marketing and target marketing strategies:

Above the line (Awareness)

Below the line (conversion, ascension)

• Digital ads (ecommerce, banner ad, google search, digital sponsorships)
• Point of purchase advertising 

In his book Marketing to Mindstates , Founder and CEO of Trigger-Point Will Leach, breaks down the 4 factors that drive buying decisions:

Location : Is your customer in a place where they can buy your product? 

For example, if they’re driving, they probably can’t purchase it right now

People : Is there a customer around them that can sway their motivation to buy?

For example, are they around other men who are already using Fusion

Feelings : What mood is the customer in right now as they are reading your website, ad, email, etc.?

For example, did they shave wrong and now they’re chin’s all itchy

Framing : Does your message frame their problem and the solution you’re going to give them?

For example, Gillette frames its solutions based on the troubles men face when shaving and after shaving

With market segmentation and targeting, you can very specifically control how that message is framed. And target market segmentation works!

• 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands giving relevant offers and recommendations 
• 36% of consumers believe brands should be giving a more personalized marketing experience 
• Personalization has led to:
• 55% increase in visitor engagement
• 55% increase in customer experience
• 39% improvement in brand perception
• 51% increase in conversion rates
• 46% increase in lead generation and customer acquisition

Lessons from Gillette

• Understand the market and segments. Then target that specific market segment.
• You can promote without cutting price . Instead, promote by brand association.
• Ideally, you’ll want to be everywhere and do everything. 

But as a small business owner, chances are, you don’t have the same marketing budget and resources as Gilette. 

So opt for segmented marketing since it would give you the best ROI on your campaigns.

Note: Market segmentation and targeting is perfectly tailored to your customer avatar. It’s content that your customer avatar is dying to read, watch, and listen to… And ads your target market is waiting to see, even!

A Gateway to Consumer and Customer Behaviour

Theory & Practice, Marketing Research, Metrics & Models

The Challenges Facing Gillette

It is hard to ignore the increased frequency at which men can be seen with a beard of some form or style on their faces in recent years. Beards have become popular especially among young men towards or in their early twenties. The renewed fashion of growing beards is making troubles for 115+ years old Gillette, once an independent company and since 2005 a division and brand of consumer packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G). The difficulties for the famed brand of razors and blades caused by changes in shaving habits of male consumers have been further exacerbated by increased competition and the growing shift to e-commerce. Yet above and beyond, Gillette faces a key challenge to defend and sustain its brand equity, arising from its reputation and position of leadership for many years.

Indeed ‘beards’ are far from being uniform. Beards, and facial hair in general, can be thick or thin, with or without a moustache, covering the cheeks or leaving them clear (see for example the  top 15 beard styles described by Gillette). Often enough the beard is not much more than stubble kept growing for a few days. But beards should be more than a matter of avoiding a shave everyday. As said above, there are different shapes and styles of them, and to keep the beard in form and in good appearance, one has to cultivate and nurture his beard on a regular basis.

From the late 19th century and through the first half of the 20th century the moustache was the epicentre of facial hair for men. It was a fashionable sign of manhood, and there were some creative and artistic designs of them.

According to figures from 2013, it was estimated that 17% of American men grew a beard of some form in that year, up from 14% in 2009. Beards are particularly frequent among young US men age 18-24: 35% in 2013 compared with 31% in 2009 ( Experian Marketing Services , 14 March 2014; the estimate of ‘bearded men’ is based on a definition of men not using any shaving products or men who use electric shavers or shaving cream (foam) fewer than two times per week [to be distinguished from watching men and counting those bearded]).

The problem of Gillette seems to be aggravated, however, by a reduced frequency at which men shave per week. It is increasingly popular to grow a 2-day, 3-day or 5-day beard. If to judge by the frequency of using shaving cream, US men used it 4.5 times per week in 2009 versus 4.3 times in 2013 (mean 3.5-3.6 among 18-24 years old). Therefore, this is not simply a question of whether an individual uses shaving products, particularly disposable razors and blades, but how much one uses them (and thereof pays to buy them). It should be noted that just 15% of young men age 18-24 in the US have had a thick beard (using no shaving products) in 2013 (2009 13%);  among those in the next age group of 25-34 years old this proportion was a minor 5%.

In other data (by Mintel ) for 2015, 41% of men using shaving products in the US do not shave daily (50% of  18-24 years old, 51% among 45-54 years old). Nonetheless, among those who do not shave daily not all is lost, probably far from it.

Hence, there is a different way, more optimistic, to look at the situation. Many of the men who grow some form of a beard do have to continue to shave regularly enough. First, it can be noticed that many of the young men grow a rather thin and light beard. Second, many grow a beard on part of their faces (e.g., around the mouth) and hence have to keep shaving the remaining areas where facial hair grows. Therefore, instead of looking at how men do not shave or shave less frequently, one should look at the frequency they do shave, when and how. Additionally, men who grow thin and partial beards can be encouraged and advised on nurturing their beards, keeping them in line and aesthetically appearing. In fact, Gillette demonstrates in videos on its country-websites how to do so with their manual shaving products, a step in the right direction (note: similar instructive videos are available from other sources as well). Nevertheless, more emphasis may have to be given to trimmers for cutting off more dense facial hair to offer customers a more complete solution.

Shaving manually with razor blades is a ritual that demands time, patience and care. It involves three main stages and requires the use of supplementary products (e.g., pre-shave lotion, shaving cream or foam). Part of the market of manual razors and blades has been captured years ago, especially in developed countries, by electric shavers for the greater simplicity of shaving with them and also for being safer. In the US, the ratio between shaving methods stands (2013) at about 3:2 — 6 users of disposable razors and blades to 4 users of electric shavers (Experian). Younger men (18-24) tend somewhat more to prefer manual shaving over electric shavers. If it gives any consolation, only 27% of American users of electric shavers apply the machine daily (i.e., 7+ times per week). In addition, users of electric shavers seem to have lowered their frequency of shaving (mean uses per week): 4 in 2009 versus 3.7 in 2013 (18-24 years old use them less frequently to start with, 2.5-2.6). A possible lesson from those revealed figures might be that men in developed countries should not be expected nowadays to shave daily, perhaps only half as frequently, using either manual or electric devices.

In some ways, as suggested below, the management of Gillette can draw back users of electric shavers to using the brand’s razors and blades. First, users of electric shavers may be convinced of a greater accuracy in which Gillette razor blades can be used to keep, for instance, a beard within its intended  border lines. Second, while men may not find the time and patience to shave manually during the week, they may see the benefits of doing so, instead of using the electric shaver, on weekends and holidays when they have more time to groom themselves. It may be possible to widen an already small overlap that appears to exist between the use of electric shavers and the use of disposable razors and blades.

P&G also markets the Braun brand of electric shavers (foil covering a straight-line blade). Philips, a leader in electric shavers (round rotary heads), is offering models with or without a pop-up trimmer on back of the handset shavers; a trimmer is also available as a separate device, as may fit the need to separately treat more dense hair. (Royal Philips has been re-aligning its business in the past few years, but it seems to have found a place for its shaving products in the personal care category for men as an extension to health-care technologies).

Gillette looks as an autonomous division of P&G, almost independent from it. It may get even more freedom than other brands in the house of brands of P&G. Indeed, Gillette has been an independent strong brand for many years and is still capable of being a driver of consumer choice without the help of the corporate name of P&G. Moreover, Gillette has been and remains the endorser of product brands such as Sensor (since 1990), Mach 3 (since 1998) and Fusion (since 2006; Fusion has two premium sub-brands ProGlide and ProShield). The three product brands may be strong enough each to share a driving power equally with the endorsing Gillette name. Some consumers may know that Gillette is owned by P&G and they may value the solid backing it can give Gillette, but it seems the P&G name has no more than a role of shadow endorser [1]. The root (US) website of Gillette and its various country-websites make no reference to P&G in their content; the only mention given is a title at the top left corner saying “Part of the P&G family”. This approach thus helps in instilling the notion that Gillette acts as a stand-alone brand (or brand tree).

The cost of replacing the disposable razors (‘handles’) and blades of Gillette has become a key issue for the brand in the last ten years. The ‘heads’ that contain the blades (e.g., Sensor with 2 blades, Mach has 3 blades and Fusion has 5) seem to cause the greater burden for users, especially as they have to be replaced more frequently than the razor on which the ‘head’ is mounted. Gillette has embarked on a major effort in the US to lower their cost and bring back customers — the US website includes a ‘Pricing’ page introducing a special Lower Prices offer on razors and blades (these are recommended retail prices that Gillette is careful to stress it cannot guarantee for every retailer). A similar ‘Pricing’ page appears on the Canadian website but without details of prices, while no such page appears on websites of other countries (e.g., Australia, UK, Germany, Argentina, South Africa). Additionally, Gillette publishes on its American website a ‘Letter to Consumers’ from its employees as part of its effort: showing how they listen to consumers, and expressing gratitude to those who have already returned after trying razors and blades of competitors (attributed to Gillette’s quality advantage and their lower price offering). It begs one to wonder why this effort is limited to North America.

A threat to Gillette has come primarily from online retailers such as Dollar Shave Club (now owned by Unilever) and uprising Harry’s. At first, men reacted to increasing costs of blades by growing beards and shaving less frequently, but then also by turning to online suppliers. Dollar Shave Club was estimated to have an online market share in 2016 of 52.4% on razors and blades, and Harry’s obtaining 9.4%. However, Gillette has also entered into selling its razors and blades online and launched a customer Club in 2014; in 2016 its share online was estimated at 21.2% ( CNBC , 7 August 2016, estimate figures provided by Slice [Ratuken] Intelligence). An increasing interest in subscription plans was further noted by Mintel (5 Nov. 2015) — such plans offer razors and blades at lower prices with the advantage of providing also supplementary shaving products; all can be ordered together in convenient packages. Gillette had to adapt to the new conditions, including the shift in consumer behaviour and new market rules (i.e., e-tailing). The subscription scheme of Gillette Club is available mostly in Western countries of North America and Western Europe ( notes : in some countries it is labeled ‘On Demand’, and in the scheme described online, orders are set to be fulfilled via retail stores).

Gillette was acquired by P&G in 2005 for $57Bn. In May 2018 the Gillette brand was ranked #32 on the List of Most Valued Brands of Forbes , valued at $17.1Bn. Market share of razors in the US has been sliding down during six consecutive years, from 70% in 2010 to 54% in 2016. Since 2012 the sales of Gillette have declined from a peak of $8.3bn to $6.8bn in 2016, and dropped another 3% in 2017 to $6.6Bn. There is an anticipation now that the Club would help to halt the decline in 2018.

The slogan of Gillette, sustained for several decades already, is “The Best a Man Can Get”. Gillette has been thriving for excellence in the area of shaving as a cornerstone of its brand equity. It has won its recognition as a leader based on high perceived quality of its shaving products, especially its razors and blades (as a ‘power brand’, it achieved a central category benefit [‘the closest shave’], and has been continually improving [2a]). An association that resonates with consumers is significant for brand-building; it has to be meaningful and relevant to them. David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler noted in their book ‘Brand Leadership’ that Gillette was among the brands “that have high customer resonance because their customer value proposition is highly relevant” [2b]. This could be the prime challenge of Gillette as a brand for the coming years: The high quality of its products is undeniable, but can it uphold its relevance to consumers?

In its struggle to bring customers back, a national advertising campaign to persuade men to shave again has missed its target. An Israeli advertising agency (ACW) created a campaign titled ‘The Dad Test’ featuring a ruler for measuring how much a beard or stubble hurts babies by scratching the baby’s face (2017). The campaign stirred protest and anger for being insensitive and aiming low ( Mako-Keshet TV , 7 June 2017 [Hebrew]). First, the ‘problem’ the ad caught onto is hardly new. Second, the campaign took an offensive stand by raising a conflict, alienating customers, and thus was shooting in the wrong direction. (ACW is affiliated with international advertising agency Grey; this campaign does not seem to have appeared outside Israel).

The US-based advertising agency Grey New-York launched in the past three years ad campaigns, for American Father’s Day, that seem to adopt a more positive and constructive approach to father and son relations: (1) In 2016, ‘Go Ask Dad’ instead of turning to the Internet ( The Drum , 19 June 2016); (2) In 2017, ‘Handle with Care’ featuring a son helping his elderly father shave ( AdWeek , 22 June 2017); (3) In 2018, ‘Your Best Never Comes Easy’, meant to redefine or re-establish the brand’s slogan ( AdAge , 11 September 2018). A leading theme in these ad campaigns is connecting fathers and sons with a razor product of Gillette as the pivotal mediator. They may also be noted for enhancing a functional benefit of Gillette with an emotional benefit.

An approach that may help Gillette paving its way forward is looking through the lens of The Theory of Jobs to Be Done developed by Clayton Christensen [3]. In order to attract customers and keep them, a company has to understand the goal or task the consumers wish to accomplish and focus on how its designated product will help them in making progress towards achieving their goal (i.e., ‘getting the job done’). Furthermore, jobs are context-dependent, that is, in different circumstances or conditions the consumer may need the same product to do differing jobs. In the case of shaving razors and blades, we may posit ‘jobs’ such as: (1) What type of look men wish to display with their beards — does the consumer want to foster a ‘neat and elegant’ look or is he interested in appearing ‘rough and tough’? — from here a company may derive the extent to which razors have to provide a close shave and accuracy; (2) The main concern of male users may be that shaving will be easy and convenient, and without taking too much time (say 10 minutes). An additional goal for shaving may require that it is more economically affordable. Taking these options into consideration, it may prompt Gillette to examine whether consumers can easily distinguish between the different razors it offers and trace which model of razor and blades is most appropriate for the job one wants to accomplish.

The challenges Gillette has to resolve may be divided into two levels. In the short to medium term the brand may be more engaged in tackling the contemporary fashionable trends in growing beards and thereby the shifts in shaving behaviour of male consumers. There is little point in speculating how long this period may last — the brand just has go through it and adjust its product offerings and marketing. In the longer term, more crucially, Gillette will have to be concerned with sustaining the relevance of the brand (e.g., fit for a job) to men, younger and older, and ensuring that associations they hold of the brand remain valid and meaningful. On that depends the future of Gillette.

Ron Ventura, Ph.D. (Marketing)

[1] Based on the model of brand architecture in: Brand Leadership ; David A. Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler, 2009/2000; London, UK: Pocket Books (paperback edition, originally published in 2000 by Simon & Schuster UK)

[2] Ibid. 1: [a] (p. 67) and [b]  (p. 89)

[3] Competing Against Luck ; Clayton M. Christensen with Taddy Hall, Karen Dillon, & David A. Duncan, 2016; Harper Business (HarperCollins Publishers)

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Excellent article which analyzes in a cogent and engaging fashion the troubles faced by a major brand!!

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A Case Study on Gillette: “The Best Men Can Be” Campaign

A Case Study on Gillette: “The Best Men Can Be” Campaign 7 min read

Since its founding 118 years ago, Gillette has grown to become the dominant men’s shaving brand, fueled by ever-pricier new razor systems, regular price increases and, since the 1989 Super Bowl, “The Best a Man Can Get” ad tagline from BBDO . But given its relatively high prices, the brand ran into trouble starting with the Great Recession of 2008 and particularly since the 2012 launch of Dollar Shave Club (now owned by Unilever) and Harry’s a year later.

Gillette still holds a commanding lead among older men but has a weaker hold on millennials and Generation Z. So in a digital video campaign from Grey last January—targeted disproportionately toward younger men—Gillette reframed its old tagline as “The Best Men Can Be,” informed by the #MeToo movement and the call to end “toxic masculinity.”

The ad provoked a backlash among conservative commentators. Yet Gillette has stuck with the campaign and even expanded it, while tweaking the messaging and tactics. Right-wing commentators are still expressing contempt, but Gillette has made progress with the targeted millennial and Gen Z demographic, improved online sales and delivered strong sales growth last quarter.

The Marketing Challenge

The Gillette razor business was the highest-margin big brand in packaged goods when it was the crown jewel of a $57 billion acquisition by Procter & Gamble in 2005. That deal also included Braun shaving, Oral-B toothbrushes and Duracell batteries (the last of which was divested in 2016). But the deal proved disappointing on the top line, dragged down mainly by the non-Gillette brands.

Then Gillette’s game plan of raising prices on replacement blades 3 to 4 percent annually and upselling customers to pricier systems like Fusion in 2006 faced challenges due to the Great Recession— during which some men shaved less simply because they weren’t working or balked at Gillette’s prices— as well as from from Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s.

Globally, Gillette’s market share has fallen from 70 percent in 2010 to less than 50 percent last year, according to Euromonitor. Gillette also faces an overall decline in the frequency of men shaving, particularly in the U.S.

The Insights

“The challenge we have on the brand is to reconnect with the millennial and Gen Z generations,” says Gary Coombe, CEO of Global Grooming at P&G. “Our brand awareness among that group was low, [as were] afnity and equity. We know this group of consumers expects brands to stand for more than the delivery of their functional benefit. They expect these brands to have a point of view that resonates positively with their point of view on social or environmental causes.”

The Campaign

Thus was born the “We Believe” ad that broke in mid-January in 2019. “Men need to hold other men accountable,” says actor Terry Crews—a sexual assault survivor and former pitchman for P&G’s Old Spice— during Congressional testimony shown in the ad. The spot also depicts catcalling, sexual harassment of a maid in a faux 1950s sitcom as a studio audience cheers on the harasser; humiliating mansplaining in a boardroom and other examples of the worst men can get—at least through the first 50 seconds. Then various men, including Crews, stand up to call for better behavior.

The ad dovetailed with the launch of Gillette’s TheBestMenCanBe.org , a site that celebrates “men who are advocates, mentors and leaders in their communities, demonstrating what it means to be a great man, every day,” backed by a $1 million-plus annual commitment for three years to organizations that help men be “their personal best.”

The backlash

After an early story on “We Believe” in The Wall Street Journal, many conservatives—including one of the paper’s op-ed columnists—criticized the ad at best as phony “virtue signaling,” at worst as unfairly tarring most men as bullies and rapists.

Reactions were particularly harsh on Twitter and YouTube. Marketing intelligence firm BrandTotal found social media sentiment in the days immediately after the ad broke as negative by a 63 percent to 8 percent margin, while social listening firm Converseon found the negative-positive ratio a more balanced 45 percent to 34 percent. Celebrities weighed in, with Piers Morgan, James Woods, Ann Coulter and Meghan McCain among the detractors, and Bette Midler, Chrissy Teigen, Rainn Wilson and Arianna Hufngton among the supporters.

Although negative reactions on YouTube still outweigh the positive nearly two to one as of September (1.5 million to 802,000) on 32.4 million views , the initial negative social-media reaction became more favorable over time.

The battle lingers

Compared with most social-media firestorms, Gillette’s has lingered far longer. That’s in part because the brand and company held their ground, never apologized for any ofense taken and continued with the campaign.

Perhaps because the controversy persisted, the initial ad seemed to incite several weeks of negative brand perception. Initial Morning Consult tracking data in January showed relatively little awareness of the controversy or negative impact on the brand.

But by February, net favorability toward Gillette (percentage of people favorable less those unfavorable to the brand) had declined 10 points to 58 percent. That score rebounded to 67 percent by May and stood at 64 percent in August, exactly where it was a year earlier.

Coombe sees the ad’s impact as overwhelmingly positive both in perception and sales. “We think what we’ve chosen here—to portray men in a modern, contemporary, progressive way—is appropriate for Gillette,” he says. “And it seems to be working, so we’re going to continue with that, and we’re proud of the work. And if there’s a small minority out there who have a different view, that’s just something we’re going to have to bear, because we believe for the brand, this is absolutely the right choice.” The 4 percent organic sales growth Gillette posted globally for the April-June quarter was “our best quarterly growth for some time,” Coombe says. “We’re growing in North America and around the world.”

Outside direct-to-consumer e-commerce, Gillette holds a commanding 76 percent share of razor sales on Amazon, according to Evercore, which sees signs that e-commerce growth is ofsetting Gillette’s challenges in ofine sales. “We’ve grown sales and users online every month since the ad was launched,” Coombe says. “That’s a good indicator that the brand is strengthening and in good health. Sales are impacted by many things, but that new campaign has been one of the key drivers. I’m certain of it.”

The Lessons

Gillette and P&G have taken steps to mitigate negative social media effects from subsequent ads. Gillette has left comments enabled on the initial “We Believe” ad on YouTube, but has removed comments deemed offensive. The brand also disabled YouTube comments for subsequent videos in the U.S., such as “Every Hero Sweats” from Grey Midwest—even though the story line was more likely to please conservatives by portraying everyday heroism of dads in the armed forces or other jobs.

A five-minute-plus #TheBestMenCanBe ad for Gillette—featuring John Legend, along with the musician’s father and son, in June for Father’s Day—was likewise less controversial. The ad has only about 32,000 views on YouTube, but BrandTotal says Gillette invested heavily in so-called “dark social” targeted placements on Facebook and Instagram.

The targeting seems to be working. When Gillette’s videos reached selected social audiences between May 9 and August 7, BrandTotal shows sentiment was 65 percent positive vs. 9 percent negative. The same ads, when posted to broader, non-targeted audiences, earned 46 percent negative sentiment vs. 14 percent positive.

Coombe notes that Gillette isn’t shielding all online video from social media or turning of comments everywhere, particularly outside the U.S. For example, “The Barbershop Girls of India,” which combats gender stereotypes by depicting the true story of two sisters who run their father’s barbershop, has 16.5 million YouTube views. Positive comments outweigh negative more than 10 to one.

What’s next

Gillette has expanded “The Best Men Can Be” campaign to India, South Africa and Spain. Portraying men in a new, more progressive light figured prominently in videos backing the recent launch of Treo, a line Gillette developed to help caregivers shave the elderly or disabled men. Grey continues as Gillette’s primary agency of record. The Gillette creative account, which Grey has held since 2013 after beating out longtime incumbent BBDO in a review, is not currently in review, a P&G spokeswoman says, but she adds that “consistent with the direction of many P&G brands, Gillette does leverage additional agencies at the project level.”

Also Read: A Case Study on Apple: “Get a Mac” Brand Campaign

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How Gillette innovated and improved its market share in India

This case study looks at how gillette innovated in india by tailoring advertising and inventing a new product development process to reflect local shaving habits..

• Print Edition: Apr 13, 2014

Executive Summary : Traditionally, Gillette relied on extensive research and development to create a single product for global distribution. The product was supported by a marketing premise that it would be equally valuable to customers globally. But Gillette set aside its global strategy in India and grew its market share dramatically. This case study looks at how Gillette innovated by tailoring advertising and inventing a new product development process to reflect local shaving habits.

Gabriela Berner, Jade Chang, Marina Dunaeva, and Leonardo Scamazzo.

Although Gillette entered the Indian market in 1984 and launched its newest triple-blade system, Mach3 in 2004, sales were flat for a long time. The product did not go through any changes and kept its key features - such as long lasting diamond-like coating blades, 'PowerGlide' smoothness, ergonomic handles, pivoting precision heads - and premium price, which was 10 times more than its two-blade competitors.

Even though the target customers were professional men with higher disposable incomes than the average Indian, the traditional, double-edged razor, could not be dislodged. Indian men do not consider shaving a significant enough activity to justify such a premium. Gillette's Mach3 value proposition was based on extensive consumer research, which highlighted key concerns men had about shaving: it was time-consuming, caused skin irritation and was generally unpleasant. Mach3 promised "the closest shave ever in fewer strokes - with less irritation". Research and development served as the key value network component supporting this value proposition, as it was crucial to deliver the promised performance. Manufacturing, distribution, marketing and advertising were geared for the global introduction through increased production capacity and aligned promotional material.

With such indifference towards shaving, Gillette had to focus on changing the consumer's attitude, leading to some creative marketing campaigns. For example, the launch of the newest Gillette Mach3 in 2009 was supported by the 'Shave India Movement 2009' campaign which included several initiatives. Gillette created the platform 'India Votes... to shave or not' to support this campaign, which asked three controversial questions: Are clean-shaven men more successful? Did the nation prefer clean-shaven celebrities? And the big one: do women prefer clean-shaven men? For two months, various media channels picked up on the campaign and ran interviews, discussions, editorials and news stories, which triggered popular interest. The main purpose was to create a debate around shaving.

The company created the Women Against Lazy Stubble (WALS) association, where women were encouraged to ask their men to shave, capitalising on their role as influencers of men in this aspect. Gillette recruited Bollywood celebrities such as Arjun Rampal and Neha Dhupia to support the campaign. This innovative way of marketing proved to be effective and as awareness grew, sales and market share increased by 38 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

Until 2010, Gillette India had been following a strategy of marketing cheaper-end US-developed razors. However, low-income Indian customers who could not afford Gillette's premium price relied on the outdated, but traditional, double-edged razor shaving systems. An estimated 400 million customers not happy with existing market offerings provided a promising growth opportunity for Gillette. Thus, it focused on understanding its customers and the challenges they faced, which required spending hours visiting and interviewing consumers in order to understand the role of grooming in their lives and their needs.

The company realised that apart from affordability, customers also valued safety and ease of use. Those customers' needs would not be satisfied by Gillette's existing offering - most lacked running water, had to manage longer facial hair and sit on the floor while shaving. Nor were they satisfied with the existing double-razor solution as they caused frequent cuts.

Once Gillette understood this consumer segment, the company created a new customised product. Gillette Guard, the first product created just for the Indian market, was introduced in October 2010. It was priced at just Rs15 per razor - less than 35 cents and three per cent of the top-ofthe-range Fusion ProGlide price. At Rs5 for a refill cartridge, Gillette Guard met customer expectations on safety and ease of use.

Gillette made several changes to Gillette Guard from the traditional razor systems produced in the developed world. Extra blades were eliminated. Gillette Guard's single-blade system does not follow the trend of increasing the number of blades in a razor made for developed countries. Design complexity was reduced. Gillette Guard is a much simpler design with fewer parts to assemble during the manufacturing process.

Features such as easy-rinse cartridges and lightweight, ribbed handles were designed. Easy-rinse cartridges help customers save water and ensure the blades are clean, even if running water is not available. The new handle has a better grip, making the experience easier and safer. Safety comb and hang hole in the handle was introduced. Designing a safety comb tackles the problem of frequent cuts, especially for men who are not daily shavers and deal with longer hair. The hang hole was introduced as a response to less convenient conditions and to allow for easy drying and storage.

Gillette's success in India hinged on its capacity to innovate. Firstly, it used innovative ways to communicate with its consumers in 2009 in order to attract a once indifferent segment. Through a creative use of traditional ads and marketing campaigns that supported the launch of the new Gillette Mach3, Gillette was able to change consumers' indifference towards shaving and create a true momentum for its products. In this way, Gillette shifted from a market-driven to a market-driving approach.

Secondly, in 2010, Gillette did something the Harvard Business Review described as "reverse innovation" to develop a product that would satisfy the needs of the lower income customer. After failing to gain significant market share in India by selling its lower and mid-tier American razors in different packaging, Gillette adopted a different approach. It went back to the source by making significant investments in market research to better understand the needs and preferences of target consumers.

Gillette understood that Indian consumers' needs, culture and attitude towards shaving were radically different from those of Western consumers. Rather than lowering performance, Gillette kept the valued customer at the core of its strategy and introduced an innovative value proposition for the value-for-money customer. Moreover, Gillette was able to deliver its promise to customers by putting in place an appropriate value network. In addition to a customised product, all the elements of the business model were coherent with the value proposition and mutually reinforcing.

Local manufacturing enabled Gillette to lower its cost structure and maintain low prices. The distribution model, not based on few large retailers, but on millions of local shops called kiranas, allowed Gillette to achieve a higher market penetration. The Gillette Guard case in India is the typical success story suitable for a marketing strategy book. However, there are some aspects of the strategy that appear to be controversial. One is related to environmental sustainability. Guard uses disposable cartridges which makes it not exactly an environmentally-friendly product.

A mistake that multinationals make is to push global brands in a one-size-fits-all strategy. Gillette's strategy of spending time and resources understanding Indian consumers' needs proved to be the key to its success.

To remain competitive, Gillette must keep the valued customer at the core of its strategy and adapt its business model accordingly.

Other companies can learn from Gillette's case in India. A recurrent mistake that multinationals make is to push global brands in a one-sizefits-all strategy. Gillette's strategy of spending time and resources understanding Indian consumers' needs proved to be the key to its success. This understanding helped it innovate through developing new products and creative communication ways to attract and engage Indian consumers.

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Home » Management Case Studies » Case Study: Product Innovation at Gillette

Case Study: Product Innovation at Gillette

Gillette is considered as the first choice of both male and females. Both genders 16 years of age or above are the target market for Gillettes shaving products. The brand marks its success to a passion for innovation and new product development . The Gillette Company was established in 1901 and then acquired by Procter and Gamble in 2005 for US$57 billion. After the success revealed by Gillette in its third-quarter results in October 2004, the company launched several new products, including the M3Power razor for men, the Venus Divine razor for women, and two new electric toothbrushes, the Professional Care 8000 and the Sonic Complete.

Since the inception of Gillette, a strong commitment to innovation has kept the company razor sharp. Gillette is renowned for its absolute dominance of the wet shaving, dry shaving and personal grooming markets. In fact, each and every division of the company is profitable, fast-paced, number one world-wide in its markets and anchored by a steady flow of innovative new product offerings .

Every year, Gillette introduces its new products into the market. In December 2004, Gillette introduced two new women’s razors under the name of its highly popular Venus brand.

New product introduction is the mantra of a company-wide culture that supports innovation . Gillette encourages innovation that will cannibalize its existing product hits. The company also accepts blunders and dead ends as a normal course of activity in terms of creativity and innovation . It accepts that it must generate dozens of new product ideas to get just one success in the marketplace. Gillette strongly encourages its people to take risks in a creative ways in applying cutting-edge technologies to find substantial improvements that make life easier for customers. New product development is complex and expensive affair but Gillette’s mastery of the process has put the company unique in its own class.

Brands that are competing with Gillette such as Bic and Wilkinson have managed to claim handsome shares of the disposable-razor market, and Norelco and Remington compete effectively in electric razors with Gillette’s Braun unit. But Gillette with its significant and stunning technological superiority operates with virtually no competition worldwide in the burgeoning cartridge-razor sector. Supported by Gillette’s biggest new-product launch up to that point, the Mach3 strengthened the company’s stranglehold on this market. Within only a little time span of its introduction in the market, Mach3 razors and blades were number one sellers. The new M3Power system is the beginning and evolution of the Mach3 product line.

At Gillette, it is a ritual that almost everyone gets involved in one way or another with new-product development. Even people who do not participate directly in the product design and development are likely pushed into service-testing prototypes. Every working day at Gillette, 200 unshaven employees march to the second floor of the company’s gritty South Boston manufacturing and research plant to evaluate razors for sharpness of blade, smoothness of glide and ease of handling. When done, they enter their views and judgments into a computer.

Gillette mainly excels in bringing new product to the market . The company knows that, once introduced, fledging products need generous manufacturing and marketing support to thrive in the competitive consumer-products market place. To deliver the required support, Gillette has devised a formula that calls for R&D, capital investment, and capital expenditures, which it name it collectively as “growth drivers”.

In addition to its innovative product marketer, Gillette is a sports marketing pioneer. The company is in partnership with NASCAR through its “Young Guns” program. The company’s sponsorship of sports events started from 1910, when baseball players were featured in advertisements for the original Gillette Safety Razor. In Massachusetts, the home of the NFL’s New England Patriots is called “Gillette Stadium.” Gillette also has a close relationship with Major League Baseball, World Cup soccer, the PGA Tour, and the National Hockey League.

Thus, we can confidently say that superior new products combined with innovative marketing programs have been the basis of Gillette’s remarkable success. In February 2005, the company reported record annual and fourth-quarter results with double-digit percentage increases in net sales. CEO James Kilts attributes the successful year to the company’s new product achievements, “Gillette has come up with excellent results across the board, fueled by our largest and most successful new products effort ever. Key success attributes are: M3Power, the first battery powered wet shaving system; the Venus Divine premium system for women; the Oral B Professional Care8000 power rechargeable toothbrush; and the Sonic Complete, the Company’s first entry in the sonic segment of brushing. 2005 will be another very good year. It promises to again be our most active year for new products.”

Success stories like these made Gillette a desirable acquisition for Procter & Gamble. The deal to acquire Gillette is the largest in history of P&G to date.

Gillette Background:

Gillette is a remarkable brand when it comes to shaving products. Since 2005, it has been acquired by consumer product giant, Procter & Gamble. Procter & Gamble commonly known as P&G is a continuous product innovation and development company. It has gathered large amounts of revenue by its ritual of product innovation and development. Every year it introduces new products to its product line particularly in Gillette division. It also engages its employees in its product development program and if people are not directly involved in this, then the troop of 200 unshaved men are pushed to check on the razors by shaving from them and then are required to write their reviews about the razors in the computer. By this the author meant that it is kind of habit in P&G especially in the Gillette division that every person is engaged in product innovation. The company knows that by constant innovation and new product development, the company will only get a fraction of the success rate but it still continues this practice and earns large amounts of revenue from this. It also has the policy of cannibalizing its existing product hits.

Acquiring Gillette is one of the most significant decisions by P&G in terms of earning high percentage of profits. It is not wrong to say that Gillette is one of the most profitable units of P&G.

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5 Marketing Lessons To Learn From Gillette’s Success

When it comes to men’s grooming, especially shaving, one brand that cannot skip crossing our minds is Gillette, thanks to the amazing Gillette marketing strategy. And it is no surprise. After all, Gillette is the oldest brand associated with men’s grooming, with its history going back to a little more than 116 years, and the brand is still remembered fondly amongst its users.

At the start of the 21st century, Gillette held about 70% market share in the razors & blades market. It was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2005 at a whopping $57 billion. Even after more than a decade of acquisition, it is still the largest acquisition of any consumer goods brand to date.

If you scratch your head to recall names other than Gillette when asked about shaving razors & blades, do not worry – you are just like most of us.

Gillette India’s Marketing Strategy

Let’s get more into detail about the Gillette marketing strategy in India.

Gillette’s marketing team vs. the Indian consumer

Gillette entered Indian markets in 1984, an era when India was still getting into understanding the basics of western men’s hygiene. Being a large and raw market, India posed some serious problems to Gillette and taught it in the early days that the brand would have to innovate to survive in India.

Globally, Gillette’s products are used by more than 750 million men across the globe. But was it enough to launch it in India in the same manner as it did in the rest of the world? Well, not really. Surprisingly, the company’s main hurdle in India was the mindset of Indians rather than any brand or competition.

A typical Indian man was a middle to low-income customer who hesitated to use or even purchase Gillette’s premium-looking advertised products with a double-edged shaving system.

Firstly, these products were priced at a premium rate that only a few could afford regularly. Secondly, India had a traditional barber services system. The typical Indian man could get the same shaving experience and services at his local barbershop at a much lesser price.

Extensive market research revealed some striking issues that Indian consumers had regarding Gillette blades – besides skin irritation, it was time-consuming and an unpleasant experience to shave. This was a clear sign that the Gillette marketing team had to change its India strategy.

Adopting a different approach for India

The global strategy of Gillette’s marketing and advertising included conducting extensive market research and development and formulating designs capable of catering to a global customer base via a single product.

However, this approach did not see success in the Indian market. Ultimately, the brand dropped its global strategy and started focusing on India specifically.

This was followed by the launch of various campaigns in India, which forced people to tickle their brains over very specific questions like “Are clean-shaven celebrities preferred in the country? Does success have to do anything with being a clean-shaven man?” Also, the bigger questions like: “Do women for relationships prefer clean-shaven men?”

Such questions made an average Indian man question his own choices and pushed him to put in efforts to look and feel better.”

Further market research revealed that while Indian customers wanted affordable products, they also wanted them to be safe and easy to use.

So, in 2010, Gillette set itself to deliver that, which led to the launch of Gillette Guard. This was a unique product created carefully for the Indian market and was priced at a nominal range of ₹15 per razor and ₹5 for the refill cartridge – easily affordable by the masses.

Gillette’s advertising strategy

Next entered advertising to grab the attention of both men and women towards their products.

Unique taglines were chosen to grab everyone’s attention. For example, titles like “The best a man can get” were used to evoke a sense of responsibility. It urged individuals to become the best version of themselves and do their best in life by making the right choices and ultimately choosing Gillette.

Additionally, endorsements through young Indian celebrities helped the brand build an empowering image and attract a younger consumer base. Many ad films were released that evoked unshakeable feelings within their consumers.

One such example is an ad film with an army official talking about his close call during the war and proudly boasting his 7-inch battle scar and gliding his Gillette blade over it without any hesitation.

Innovative marketing campaigns

The brand created innovative campaigns like the Women Against Lazy Stubble (WALS), a campaign in which ladies were motivated to ask the men in their lives to shave, as the brand capitalized on the role of women as influencers in the daily lives of men.

This creative marketing method worked wonders as awareness of the brand grew multifold, which was reflected in sales numbers that grew by 38%. Moreover, the brand’s market share increased by 35%, which is an achievement in itself.

Many similar campaigns were run in subsequent years. A few notable are the “Men of Inner steel” campaign, the “best a fan can get” campaign, #shavingstereotypes ad campaign.

These campaigns helped Gillette stay on the edge of people’s minds. The brand also capitalized on events like International Men’s day and launched campaigns like “Man Enough,” which touched upon the point of why aren’t men allowed to show tears.

Challenging stereotypes against men gained huge popularity amongst the youth, both male and female, and this virality, in turn, led to even greater visibility for the brand.

The advertising journey of Gillette India is a classic case study of direct sales and storytelling. While the initial phase of Gillette’s marketing focused on familiarizing the customers with the product and popularizing its benefits, the latter part of their advertising strategy took a storytelling approach.

5 Things to Learn from Gillette’s Marketing Strategy

Here are some interesting marketing lessons from Gillette India, which you can take inspiration from.

1. Have a great understanding of your customer

Whether it was the 2000s when Gillette entered the advertising space in India or the 2010s when Gillette saw its market share dropping, good market research and extensive consumer surveys brought it back to its feet.

Gillette’s marketing team completely shifted its focus to understanding its customers and the hurdles they were facing daily. This required spending hours of work to visit and interview the consumers to understand the role of grooming in their daily lives and their needs. Once the brand understood what its customers wanted, delivering it was a piece of cake.

Another thing that the brand understood was that knowing a customer is an ongoing thing. As the customer evolves over the years, so does a brand. Therefore, any brand, old or new, should conduct regular consumer surveys and focus group interviews to keep track of changing consumer behaviors.

2. Have a great product

Marketing and advertising only work if the product resonates with the target consumers’ needs. Therefore, it is imperative to get the product right.

When Gillette entered India with the US-developed razors, approximately 400 million were not happy with the company’s offerings. That’s when the brand knew that it would have to create a product specifically for the Indian markets. Hence, Gillette Guard was invented, which had fewer blades, therefore fewer parts, and was affordable.

As the first-ever product designed specifically for men in this segment, Gillette Guard is often mentioned as “one of the most significant product launches in Gillette history”.

3. Educate the consumer

Since India had a traditional barbershop shaving system, the Gillette branding team had to educate the Indian customers on the benefits of shaving in the comfort of their homes.

Gillette Mach3 promised “the closest shave ever in fewer strokes – with less irritation” to educate customers that it is possible to get a quick and pleasant shave at home.

Ads targeted at showing how smooth the razors were and how safe it was to use them while talking to your wife aimed to educate the end consumers.

4. Tap the influencers

Gillette identified early on the aspirations of an average Indian man. This average Indian man wanted to be successful and liked by others, especially women. Therefore, influencers from the film industry – actors who were well-loved by the country, especially women – showed in ads how being clean-shaven enriched their personalities.

Campaigns like “Women Against Lazy Stubbles” shed light on women’s role as one of the biggest influencers in their man’s lives. Actors like Arjun Kapoor and Neha Dhupia were roped in to extend the message further. Shaving routines of some popular online bloggers like Ranveer Allahbadia were shared all over their social media to attract young and growing target consumers.

5. One size does not fit all

Although a global brand, Gillette understood in the initial years that Indian consumers’ needs, attitudes, and cultures towards shaving activity are radically different from Western consumers.

However, instead of lowering performance, as many other global brands did in the past, Gillette decided to keep the valued customer at the core of its marketing strategy and geared up its R&D team to introduce an innovative value proposition for the middle-class customer of India.

A widespread mistake that most MNCs make in India is that they try to push global brands in a “one-size-fits-all” strategy. However, Gillette’s business strategy of spending time and resources understanding Indian consumers’ needs proved to be the key to its success.

The brand’s marketing efforts reflect on its sales, and it is no surprise that today, Gillette Guard accounted for two of three razors sold in India. If this is not a well-balanced saga, we don’t know what is.

With its great marketing and advertising efforts, Gillette shows no signs of stopping or slowing down anytime soon. With the brand’s market share as huge as it is, there is no other brand that is even in close comparison to Gillette.

Gillette’s ever-evolving marketing strategy and ability to adapt to any situation have helped them keep a smooth and neat track throughout the industry.

Key Takeaways

• For any brand to be a success, its marketing and advertising strategy should be ever-evolving and have the ability to adapt to any situation.
• Understanding the actual needs of the customer is a must. Before diving into a market with a standard product, do extensive market research.
• Analyzing the cause-and-effect of the product’s benefits and value proposition is important.
• Market research includes not just interviews but also comprehensive surveys, which help understand the behavioral aspects of customers.
• Never shy away from innovating and investing in R&D. The better customized the products, the better the consumer satisfaction score and the better revenues.

Gillette uses not just demographic but also psychographic segmentation strategies. To differentiate between the features of its products, the brand uses a differentiated targeting strategy.

Most people interested in Gillette are between 18-and 34 years old. Most are them being high school graduates, and the majority are single. The income levels of these individuals vary from intermediate to high.

Besides providing a customized product, the brand also ensured that the product was affordable to an average Indian consumer. Extensive market research and focus group interviews highlighted the major problems being faced by Indian men while they shave. Besides skin irritation, it was time-consuming and an unpleasant experience to shave.  Moreover, the barbershop experience was prevalent for too long, and customers didn’t want to budge from it unless they saw better options at home. Gillette tapped into this market and taught them how cheap, safe, and easy it is to shave from home. With the help of influencers from the film industry and sports industry, it became easier to touch these consumers and appeal to the mass markets.

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