We all have heard of Gillette either through our parents or through our friend circle. Gillette has become one of the most familiar household words over the years. In most houses, Gillette is used by people generation after generation.
Despite being an American company Gillette has a huge consumer base in India and needless to say, the company earns a huge amount of money from India. The company mainly sells personal care products like saving kits. The worldwide brand value of the company is nearly 7.55 billion U.S. dollars. King C. Gillette set up this company at first in the year 1901 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The company first started its journey as a razor producer. King Camp Gillette who was a salesman and investor first thought of making disposable security razor blades in 1895.
Gillette Razors’ History in the Indian Market
Gillette started its journey in the market of India in 1984 after being purchased by Procter & Gamble. To survive in the Indian market the company had to face and win over a lot of issues. The company did not encounter any problems from any company or contest. Rather it encountered a lot of issues to change the mindset of the people of India. Gillette began to advertise in the late 2000s and it only thought of delivering the best quality, long-lasting, and Uber premium products.
The low-income consumers of India think twice to buy any premium double edges shaving system products of Gillette because they are available at premium prices which they could not afford and most importantly they can get the same shaving services by visiting any regional barber at a minimum amount of price.
After thorough customer research, it was found that the main reasons were some issues like it takes a lot of time, it resulted in skin irritation, and it was an uncomfortable experience, and so on. Gillette has changed and developed itself over the years to adapt to their unusual Indian landscape and made an effort to familiarize Indians with grooming products. The top ten opponents of Gillette are as follows:
- Schick
- Harry’s
- Edge well
- 800Razors
- Braun GmbH
- Grooming Lounge
- Raz*War
- Dollar Shave Club
- ShaveMOB
- Custom Shave
There are only a few people in India who have heard of these companies. This is the present situation of the brand in the market of India.
How Has Gillette Altered the Mindset of the People of India?
Gillette generally conducts through market investigation and it develops from time to time to catch the worldwide consumer base with the help of a single product. But this strategy did not work in India and hence the company left this global policy in place of it, the company concentrated on India as a whole and very soon they found incredible development in the market share. The company organized different drives in India so that people may think about some particular questions like: Are clean-shaven males more prosperous? Did the country prefer clean-shaven stars? And the great one: do ladies desire clean-shaven dudes? Such questions forced them to think about their selection and they intentionally endeavored to look perfect.
After profound investigation, the company has been able to understand that consumers wish for not only products that are reasonable but also products that are secure and easily usable. And the company successfully delivered a product just as the consumers wanted, that is Gillette Guard. The company launched the product in October 2010. This was the first product that was introduced for the Indian market only. The price of this product is only 15 RS for every razor and to buy the refill cartridge you just have to spend 5 RS only. The company had a unique tagline that is “The best a man can get”. Most people are aware of this tagline because it is exceptional and implies a sense of duty. It concentrates on people who are struggling to be the best version of themselves by making the proper action and opting for Gillette. Gillette also played a very important role in the study which recommended that men who are properly groomed and caring about their hygiene look more liable, standing, and of higher level.
Moreover, the company got young Indian celebs both film actors and actresses and athletes for which it has been capable of building a substantial brand portrait and attracting a young consumer ground. The advertising and marketing units of the company also conducted An outstanding job by making ad films like the one with an army officer talking about his close call at the time of the war and proudly bragging about his 7-inch war spot and gliding his Gillette blade over it without any hesitation. It is because of publicity like this that the brand picture and its perception have been increased and unshakeable.
Gillette applying the golden policy
Gillette might have been a very popular international company that attempted and failed to adjust in the market in India but their approach was very open-minded and adjustable. This helped the company to become successful in India.
They invested their time and conducted research and growth to set their kingdom in the market of India and secure the future of the company in India. Gillette invested its valuable time, money, and resources to comprehend the Indian market and the desires and requirements of the consumers. With the help of this knowledge, Gillette innovated and developed new and unique products and different unique procedures for communication to engage and entice new as well as prevailing consumers.
What is the future of Gillette in India?
No sign says that the company is going to stop or slow down anytime very soon. The company has so much market share that no other company can not beat Gillette or come closer to the company in comparison. The company often introduces new and unique marketing and advertising ideas. The latest one is the growing young skills of the Indian cricket team. The strategy of the company keeps changing and they are capable enough to tackle any kind of situation which enables them to maintain a clean and smooth path and walk across smoothly. Gillette due to its simple approach is ruling not only in India but also all over the world.
The legacy of Gillette
The facial trends of men were changing rapidly in the late 1800s. Men liked to have clean china and cheeks along with a well-mannered moustache in place of long beards. To get them, men only visit a barber’s shop two to three times every week or shave themselves which is difficult for them.
One fine morning King C. Gillette standing in front of his sink found that his permanent blade razor was flat and it needed to sharpen proficiently. He was in utter frustration at that time. Then he found that the only important portion of his blade was the delicate portion of the tip. He then found that tip on a flat piece of steel and sharpened both sides. In this way, he created a Gillette razor at reasonable prices.
Evolution of Gillette’s Product Line
We all know that Gillette is a popular company that manufactures grooming products for men all over the world. Gillette provides a wide array of products for men. The products are classified depending on their needs and features. A few examples of Gillette products are as follows:
- Razor
- Trimmers
- Blades
This type contains Gillette Mach 3, Gillette Fusion, and Gillette Flexball.
Gillette’s Venus is a women-oriented category of Mach3.
Gillette also provides a broad number of antiperspirants, deodorants, and body washes. You may also get gels, shaving creams, skincare, foams, and aftershaves from Gillette.
Procter & Gamble Acquisition
Procter & Gamble declared the largest investment in history on 28th January 2005 to purchase Gillette in a $57 billion contract. The contract incorporated a few top companies in the world. P&G was the biggest consumer derivatives firm all over the globe. The derivatives of this company varied from Crest toothpaste to Head & Shoulders shampoo. The most important derivatives Gillette added were its Duracell batteries, Braun, signature razors, and Oral-B brands of dental maintenance derivatives. The union made the biggest consumer derivatives firm in the globe. The contract provided P&G more power over shelf area at the nation’s dealers and grocers and real estate which was at a dividend. P&G put in Right Guard deodorant, Duracell batteries, and Gillette razors to more than 300 consumer brands which contained Crest toothpaste, Head & Shoulders shampoo, Ivory soap, Pringles, and Bounty paper towels. P&g spent 0.975 shares of its ordinary inventory for every stake of Gillette’s ordinary reserve. On the grounds of the ending fee of $55.32 per stake on 28th January 2005, the contract valued Gillette at about $54 per stake which depicted an 18% dividend over its ending fee. For the Gillette acquisition, P&G had 10 billion dollar companies in Beauty and Health and 12 billion dollar companies in Family, Baby, and Household parts. The overall net revenue percentage after the merger enhanced to 13.6% from 10.7% the before merger time.
Gillette Today: A Market Leader
Gillette not only provides customized products but also made sure that the product was easy to afford for every Indian customer. They detected the major issues faced by the Indian men at the time of shave by connecting through research. Apart from skin irritation, it took a lot of time and a disliked experience to shave. Furthermore, men like to go to barber shops for shaving. They did not want to leave their habit unless they got a better option at home.
Gillette entered the market and taught them how inexpensive, secure, and easy it is to shave from home. With the help of influencers from the movie industry and sports industries, it became manageable to touch these customers and allure them to the mass markets. To make your case study more engaging you may take help from My Assignment Writing Help.
FAQs
- Which is supposed to be the best Gillette razor in India?
The best Gillette razor in India is Gillette Mach 3 Turbo.
- In what way Gillette started its journey in India?
Gillette was introduced in February 1993 with the inauguration of Gillette Shaving Products in India.
- Which Gillette product was launched first in India?
The Gillette product that was launched first in India is Gillette Presto, Ready Shaver.
