Nice campaign by Gillette – shave or crave!

They say role models sway buying decisions or at least influence it heavily. Hrithik Roshan made the one-day stubble as a fashion-statement after his mega hit debut movie. It surely resulted in guys shaving less and keep a stubble. Shah Rukh Khan sported a beard in Chak De India. It might not have resulted in guys keeping beards but it did bring facial hair in vogue again. Gillette’s launched its “women against the lazy stubble” campaign in 2009 to make men shave and not keep a stubble.  2012 now has the ‘shave or crave’ movement by Gillette. It talks about women opposing the evening stubble. An attempt to increase sales through increased shaving times.

This strategy, with an objective to increase product usage, is the low-risk growth strategy as mentioned in the Igor Ansoff product-market matrix. Gillette authenticates their claim of women opposing facial hair by showing off the Nielsen survey. The findings may be true but it’s quite a personal choice. A good attempt by Gillette in a low-involvement category. Not only would it increase sales, though not substantially, but also help in top-of-the-mind-recall for the Gillette brand. With good looking ladies such as Malaika Arora Khan & Neha Dhupia endoring the product, it will also grab eye-balls.

Gillette Fusion Gamer priced at Rs. 299/- seems to be a tad high. Such a strategy should focus on absolute margins through volumes. A use-and-throw razor priced under Rs. 100 would have been more appropriate.