Please stop it Gillette

Posted on August 16, 2007
Filed Under Rants |

This is a popular one, and kind of follows from my last post about tech hype. But I have to rant about this one.

Will Gillette ever stop adding more blades? Wilkinson sword, you’re no better. Ok, ok, I know, grooming products have to move on so you can sell more new products. But you got a good deal with the old 1950s style razor which would cut a face to shreds, make a man out of boys of 16-18. That lasted for, well, probably 20 years or so. That was made safe by putting the blades “behind bars”. Thanks Wilkinson, a fine next step.

But Gillette seemed to have started it. Lacking the “behind bars” concept, all of a sudden, boardroom time “I know what, let’s add another blade”, “2 blades? it can’t be done”. And it started, not sure when. The real race began with 3 blades though. Then 4. Now, Gillette have moved to the back of the razor to add a fifth! Maybe these guys are smoking too much weed. I don’t know, but surely they can’t release another product with 6-7 blades with a straight face? Only time will tell.

Philips got the right idea with this viral: