MKTG-1045- Principles of Marketing and Advertising Brand Audit Project Gillette Adam Gibbs, Jake Luke, Joseph Pulitano, Samantha Reidy Table of Content Table of Content…………………………………………………………………2 Brand History………………………………………………………………..3,4,5 Brand Elements/Inventory………………………………………………… Competitive & customer analysis……………………………………………… Brand Equity……………………………… Brand Evolution……………………………… Conclusion……………………………………………………… References…………………………………. 3 Brand History Shaving. It is annoying, and I doubt that anyone really enjoys it but nonetheless, it is something that all humans do in some way, shape, or form. Humans tried using different techniques and tools to shave but it was not until the beginning of the 20th until King C. Gillette invented the first ever, disposable double-edged safety razor blade in Boston Massachusetts; This would change the shaving industry forever. The popularity of the razor was beginning to take off but in World War One, sales really took off because the United States Military started providing a Gillette shaving kit to all of its servicemen. When King C. Gillette first created the idea of making a disposable double edged razor blade, he really wanted to focus on finding a way to make these razors not only durable, but very reasonably priced as well so the general public would be able to afford their product. Due to the company’s deal with the United States government over the duration of World War One, the brand Gillette really gained a ton of popularity and revenue so they began to expand their operations. Due to their patent soon running out, the company decided to completely change everything, including the pricing structure. Gillette did hit a bump in the road towards the end of the 1920’s when they were sued by their competitors AutoStrop for patent infringement; The lawsuit was eventually settled by Gillette agreeing to buy out AutoStrop for 310 000 non-voting shares. That was not the only bump in the road as the Great Depression really hit Gillette hard but during tough times in North America specifically, the company relied heavily on their foreign operations. To get out of the company’s downward spiral, they decided to begin investing heavily into advertisement, specifically in relation to sports; they sponsored the World Series in 1939, and nearly doubled their expected profit soon after. To this day, advertisement in sports is massive for Gillette as they have many World-Class athletes (Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Derek Jeter, Neymar, Michael Phelps, etc.) in 4 commercials, they also sponsor stadiums (New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium), as well as significant sporting events like the Olympics and the World Series. Soon after, World War Two had rolled around and again Gillette had a deal with the United States Government to supply all troops with shaving kits for the duration of the war; this helped keep the company running relatively steady, though the effects from the Great Depression still lingered. After World War Two was finished, Gillette rolled out a new razor design. The new razors they had rolled out were super light in weight and had disposable cartridge blades, allowing you to switch the razor blades without actually having to touch the blades; avoiding the potential of someone cutting themselves (similar to razors now-a-days). This is when King C. Gillette was quoted saying “Give them the razor, Sell them the blades”. The company changed its pricing structure once again and essentially Gillette had figured out that shaving was a necessity for the majority of humans, so the company sold the actual razor for super cheap then sold the cartridges of razor blades for more money to really make their profit. In 1989, during a Super Bowl commercial, Gillette first released their slogan “The Best a Man Can Get”. Soon after, that slogan became the face of their brand, and something they are currently known for in modern day society but it would also eventually bring controversy. Over time, the climate in society has changed and because of that Gillette was heavily criticized for being sexist and predominantly male based. That may be true in some aspects as men naturally grow more hair on their face/bodies but the company over time has developed a full line of female hygiene products as well. Gillette is constantly looking for ways to remain supportive of all genders, ethnicity, or religions. In January 2005, a massive corporation named Procter & Gamble purchased Gillette for $57 Billion United States Dollars; their largest purchase to date. When Procter & Gamble agreed to purchase Gillette, it was under the condition that the company would continue to expand and operate under the name Gillette as it was the brand itself that had gained so much popularity. To this day, Gillette’s headquarters and manufacturing center are both located in Boston, Massechusettes. Although the company’s headquarters were always located and founded in Boston, the manufacturing center was built in 1969, and is known as “Gillette World Shaving Headquarters”. The World Shaving Headquarters employees over 1300 people in the state of Massechusettes and the facility adds over 300 million USD to the Boston Economy annually. Gillette is also heavily involved in charitable work, donating approximately 1.2 million USD to various organizations in Boston alone! As of May 2019, the brand Gillette itself is worth approximately 16.6 billion United States Dollars and to this day they continue to dominate the shaving/personal hygiene industry. Below is a visual transformation of the different Gillette Razors over the years. From Left to Right (1900, 1920, 1957, 1965, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2015) Gillette Brand Elements/Inventory Brand name- The name “Gillette” first came from the creator of the business, King C. Gillette, but since then, they have had product names which have strategic meaning behind them such as the Mach3. The definition of Mach is the ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium. An example of this would include an airplane moving at twice the speed of sound would be considered to be travelling at Mach 2, therefore the Mach3 gives you the shaving speed three times the speed of sound. Logos- Without paying much attention, the Gillette logo just looks like any other logo created by a large corporate company. If you take a closer look at the brands logo, you notice that the italics give a sense of speed, and the sharp diagonal slices created with the G and the I in the logo signal accuracy, and sharp edges. At an even closer look, some say that the negative space between the sharp edges of the G and the I form two blade-like shapes on top of each other which is a reference to the products that Gillette creates. Overall, the Gillette logo is clever with subtle hints at what the brand is about but doesn’t stick out too much to grab your attention. Slogans“The Best A Man Can Get”. Gillette says that as a brand that encourages men to be their best, they are committed to driving change that matters and promoting the hashtag “The Best Men Can Be.” By doing this, Gillette contributes $1 million per year for the next 3 years to non-profit organizations for executing the most interesting and impactful programs designed to help men of all ages achieve their personal best. Gillette has also taken their slogan one step further, making a series of 2-minute videos called “We Believe” showing a diverse cast of boys getting bullied and teens watching media reps of macho men objectifying women. The videos promote how men can do better by standing up and pointing out toxic behaviour, intervening when other men “catcall” or sexually harass others, and helping protect others from bullying. Packaging- Gillette tends to use very eye-catching packaging, usually sticking to darker, more bold colours for the men’s products and lighter and soft for the women’s line. Gillette is also trying to reduce the plastic waste they use on the packaging for their products, for example on the Fusion ProGlide Power Razor they reduced plastic by 79%, while no decrease in aesthetics of the packaging or increase of costs were incurred. Positioning- Right from the start of the company, Gillette had a vision to build a brand that delivers consumer value as fast as possible through innovation in customer leadership. Gillette made their first huge step in 1971 when they brought out the twinblade razor named the Trac 2. They have also come out with the Fusion line, which is attracting more men to go for the Gillette shave. Alongside the Fusion line, they added some attractive products with the razor such as Fusion Hydra Gel, and Hydra Cool aftershave sets. The people Gillette is mainly positioned for is the Early Majority Leadership group (the buyers who will pay a premium product in the category). Values- Gillette’s brand mission and values is by quote “Each day, more than 800 million men around the world trust their faces and skin to Gillette’s innovative razors and shaving products. This commitment to giving men the very best is carried into our line of personal care products, including deodorant and body wash. All designed for the unique needs of men – helping them to look, feel and be their best every day.” Main Product Categories: 5 levels of product 1. The core benefit level- The need or want consumers satisfy when buying a razor comes down to a couple factors. They want the closest shave possible, with the safety, efficiency, and convenience that other razors provide, along with a good service behind the brand. This includes razors that don’t irritate or cut the skin, are fast and easy to use (people are busy), and have a reputable name of providing high quality, reliable products. 2. The generic product level- The generic razor blade would consist of a 3 blade razor, that is disposable so the entire razor is good for 1 use, then is thrown out. This razor may have a couple key features such as sensitive skin technology, or ingredients in the lube strip such as aloe and vitamin E, but no other characteristics to make the product stand out. 3. The expected product level- The expected product level of a razor is a combination of a close shave, affordable price, with a comfortable grip. It is expected to have at least 3 blades per cartridge, replaceable cartridges, be comfortable to use, and be super-efficient to the user. (This would include the Gillette Mach 3 Razor) 4. Augmented product level- some augmented product attributes when it comes to razors in the Gillette line would include the new Fusion 5 proshield. This razor comes with 5 anti-friction blades, with lubrication before and after the blades, while shielding skin from irritation while you shave. This blade also includes a FlexBall technology which contours every hair, with precision. 5. Potential Product Level- The potential product for most razors in the future may not be what most expect; evidence has shown that the more technology and blades thrown onto a razor doesn’t necessarily mean additional benefit or a better shave, in fact, in some cases it proves to give a worse effect. Most people today and in the future are looking for a simple razor that will be effective at getting the job done, and that’s what we will see in the potential products in the future. The Potential product level will also jump into a more service based community, for example the ecommerce platform that dollar shave club is running their success on, for razors to be more convenient in a monthly subscription box. I believe most companies will gear towards this way of selling their razors, along with simple, effective products that are affordable and convenient. 6. Current positioning strategies- Gillette positions themselves as a premium brand company, with the core approach to enter the sporty segment. The company slogan “The Best a Man Can Get” has become its trademark for all its products. Gillette provides products with personal care and grooming products for men. Gillette is said to spend billions of dollars on its advertising policies, and the ads they like to promote are ones that give you a smooth, cool, unstoppable feeling. They position themselves in their ads as being confident and having an unbeatable mindset when using their products, and that’s how they want their consumer to feel when buying the product as well. They also position themselves with confidence by using famous personalities like Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, and David Beckham in their ads to show that their product is the best of the best. 6 Criteria For Choosing Brand Elements 1. Memorable- Gillette shows its memorability from a short name that has been around since 1901. Also, the company slogan “The Best a Man Can Get” has made the company very memorable in the sense that every product is associated with that slogan, and the entire brand is based around the thought that each product is designed to help men achieve their best self. 2. Meaningful- all products are designed for the unique needs of men, helping them to look and feel their best every day. This makes the Gillette brand meaningful because they are focused on providing the best possible products designed for men on the market. 3. Likable- The Gillette product is likeable, especially in the packaging attribute, with bold, sharp colours for men and more bright, feminine colours for women. The idea of becoming more green with their packaging with reducing plastic adds an even bigger effect to the likability factor of the brand. The brand is also very likable in the sense of advertising with big celebrities, and having the rep behind them of trying to make men the best they can possibly be. 4. Transferable- over the past 10 years Gillette has evolved from a classic multinational to a global company with premium products that are sold in almost every county. An estimated 6 hundred million people have bought Gillette products, and the products are easily available in all continents around the globe including Central America, South America, North America, Asia, Western Europe, Africa, Eastern Europe and Oceania. There is a franchise distributor in every country, and Gillette has manufacturing plants in almost all major countries. This, along with a great product and good marketing make it easy for a brand like Gillette to be transferable and become a globalized product. 5. Adaptability- Gillette has been very adaptable to new technologies, and creating new ways to make the best razor possible. Gillette has also come out with electric razors to compete in the more technological advanced markets, but has also added new tech such as more blades, heated razors, lubricated strips, and FlexBall technology to update their product and adapt to the improving market of razors and cosmetics. 6. Protectability- The Gillette trademark was filed in 1908, in Boston, Mass. Brand Equity For many years Gillette has been there taking care of mens and more recently women's shaving needs. The brand gillette is a common household product you could find a razor to a can of shaving cream in almost any house in North America, But the gillettes brand equity doesn't just come from the fact that thee products is everywhere and easily accessible and affordable to all kind of people, But it the names itself. People associate the brand name Gillette with affordable razors that have been around forever. People figure the name has been around for so long that it must be a good product, or they purchase the product because they grew up with it in the house, they have seen their parents and even grandparents use this product. The name is just stuck like glue to the whole shaving industry. There are issues with people only buying the brand for the name. It gives competitors the ability to swoop in with a better product and take away some of the much needed market. This is happening to gillette as we speak. Gilletts sales are going down because they are competing with a new kind of competitor. For example the Dollar Shave Club. This online company is competing neck and neck with Gillette through their high quality convenient grooming and personal hygiene products. Why go to the store when you can have quality products shipped to your house every month. People buy from the Dollar Shave Club because their products are effective and convenient not because the name and logo are recognizable. Gillette is trying to fight to get back in by starting an online monthly shaving delvers service, muh like dollar shave clubs. Each month customers will be sent a shaving package of their choosing from their online shave package browser located on their website. Gillette is trying to make strides towards becoming not just a brand you recognize off the shelf but a brand built around the fact that they have well built and innovative products that could make your shaving experience easier. It will be hard to do this but it won't be impossible; they just have to be able to keep up with their new technology and conveniently based competition. CBBE Model Customer Based Brand Equity model (CBBE) is a tool that can help see the brands success through customers attitudes and thoughts on the brand. This helps companies understand what the customers want or need in their products maybe even before the customer knows it wants this product. Identity- the company Gillette has been around for years, ever since their products came to market in 1901, they have prided themselves on the fact they understand what men need when they are shaving. This resulted in mass producing high quality state of the art razors that are very innovative when the company was first founded, BEcause of this it lead to many generations of men who shave to realize that Gillette understand the wants and needs on a man when he is shaving, there for Gillette understood when generations of men wanted and they gave it to them. What do they stand for - Gillette is a company based on values. They have pride in the fact that they use high quality materials in all of their shaving and hygiene products but they also innovate their products to make them better. When Gillette first started they made a new razor that no one had really seen or used before, But when they had success with that they just stopped. No they continued to create new products to make the shaving experience easier and more enjoyable for men and now even women. What about you- People what to be comfortable. What do we do when we are in an uncomfortable situation? We leave it. It's the same thing for shaving, If you are using a product that isn't comfortable or sint working out you just don't buy that product again. When you buy Gillette you are buying into that close comfortable shave that you want. And that is exactly was razor customers are looking for, Gillette can give them that satisfaction. What about you and me- Gillettes overall goal is to help everyone no matter who you are to look and feel their very best. It has been proven that if you think you look good and if you feel good you are more likely to be successful in what you do. Gillette wants to give everyone the tools to be successful and they believe that having a good shave is the first step and getting you to that point. References Brand History https://www.forbes.com/companies/gillette/#2f6c79aa10a0 https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-razors-and-shaving-4070036 https://boston.pglocations.com/about-gillette/ https://gillette.com/en-us/about/our-story https://www.almanac.com/history-shaving-and-beards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsRs9I04tfQ .
