wouldn't you know it..

[johnny]

quite some time ago, i read this article on the onion, and it gave me a good laugh (in fact, i still find it to be hi-larious). and then today! i read this article in the news paper:

Now, it's five blades
Shaving stakes raised as Gillette's 'Fusion' razor aims to be a cut above the competition
But will men be willing to pay the extra price? Some aren't convinced

DANA FLAVELLE
BUSINESS REPORTER

Just how many razor blades does one man need?

Five, according to the Gillette Company, which has announced plans to begin selling Fusion, the market's first five-blade razor, early next year.

The announcement drew gasps of disbelief in some quarters.

"Five blades? Oh my god!" said Toronto barber Nick Tunzi, who's been shaving his clients with a single-blade razor for 45 years.

"They're not serious! Five?" said marketing guru Alan Middleton, who still shaves with a Trac II, the two-blade model Gillette first introduced 34 years ago.

Gillette insists its new razor will deliver the closest and most comfortable shave yet and will be even more popular than its three-blade Mach3Turbo, the current best-selling brand in the market.

But the real reason for the extra blades could be that competitor Schick has lately been clipping the Mach3's sales with its four-blade version, the Quattro, analysts said.

Also, Gillette is looking for a way to convince men to spend more on what is a basic product, said Middleton, who runs York University's Schulich Executive Education Centre.

Gillette said it's planning to charge $9.99 (all prices U.S.) for the razors, $1 more than its Mach3 brand, and $12 to $13 for a four-pack of replacement cartridges.

In Canada, the Mach3 razor sells for just under $13 Canadian, while the replacement blades sell for less than $15 for a package of four. Canadian prices for the new Fusion razor weren't disclosed.

But is a fifth blade a big enough improvement? Will men see the difference and be willing to pay the extra price?

Tunzi, of Ralph's Barber Shop & Hairstyling at Bay and Wellesley Sts., says he's not convinced.

"I don't think five blades is going to do a better job than one. My personal feeling is it's a marketing thing."

Indeed, it may not matter if three, four or even five blades is better than one, as long as Gillette successfully plays on men's fears and anxieties about shaving, Middleton observed.

"Are men ever happy with their shave? No," he said.

Most men hate shaving though they like the feeling of being freshly shaved, Middleton said.

But they're also very anxious about how long the shave will last. Will they be stuck with the dreaded five o'clock shadow?

"There's a constant search for improvement," he said.

Historically, Gillette's ability to capitalize on men's innermost fears has been impressive.

The company spent a whopping $300 million promoting the three-blade razor in its first year on the market. It was Gillette's biggest marketing campaign yet at the time. But it was worth it.

Launched in 1998, the Mach3 was priced at $7, a third higher than its existing line.

It's now the best-selling brand, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global $5 billion a year market for razors, according to Jason Gere, an analyst with A.G. Edwards in New York.

Clearly, Gillette is hoping to repeat that performance with its Fusion razor.

"Gillette Fusion is more than just the next generation shaving brand. It's the future of shaving," declared James Kilts, president and chief executive officer of the Gillette Co., at a press conference yesterday.

The company says it's not just two additional blades, it's a whole new "shaving surface" that delivers "significantly less irritation and more comfort" by squeezing the blades 30 per cent closer together.

But many analysts doubt the company's ability to deliver on its latest promise.

The problem is Gillette's legendary ability to deliver meaningful improvements to the shaving experience has been wilting lately, Middleton said.

"Gillette had enormous success with these innovations in the past. But their recent innovations have not convinced large numbers of males to upgrade their razors," Middleton said.

In fact, Gillette may be a victim of its own success.

Some financial analysts said the company may have trouble getting men to believe the new product is superior to its Mach3 version.

a fifth blade seems kind of silly, but i still thought it was funny.

[testtubebaby]

mmm... enjoy this as well, fignuts!

[quote]Fuck Everything, We're Doing Five Blades

By James M. Kilts
CEO and President,
The Gillette Company
February 18, 2004 | Issue 40

[johnny]

i already linked that article, dingus!

[testtubebaby]

well you suck

[thecreeper]

i remember reading that onion article and thinking that was pretty realistic. guess they weren't too far off.

heh.

i think i will be sticking with my free mach3 i got a couple years ago though.

[raublekick]

i think i'll stick with the long hair trimmer of my remington electric. no, i don't have long hair to trim, but my mom dropped my shaver and put a holein the mesh so it cuts my face if i use the regular shaving part. i was gonna get a replacement piece, but it was $20. screw that.

[johnny]

Originally Posted by testtubebaby

well you suck

that is where you are wrong


in any case, i'm holding out for at least seven blades.

[testtubebaby]

i'm holding out for 14... it's got the phantom blade!!!!