Appealing to the Masses

I had a strange experience this summer while living and working in Southern California. The necessity for new razors landed me at Target and like usual, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices. Thankfully, after years of buying various razors and ditching brands due to unacceptable results, I have my go to razor that never fails to please.

However, there was something very different about the Gillette package I usually beelined for. It contained the usual amount of razors in the familiar colors, the package followed the same color scheme I was used to, and it was shaped the same as always ... However, there was an additional bit of information offered on the package - scented razor handles. Seriously?!

I can say that genetics blessed me well in the upper-lip department and I lack the hair that most Basque women tend to grow. So, I must ask the silly question as to why Gillette found the need to scent the handles. I am not shaving my face, therefore requiring me to intentionally sniff the handle to enjoy the tropical scent embedded within.

As life kept me busy and I found myself back home working and attending my final semesters of college, I forgot about my strange scented razor experience. It wasn't until I bought a new package of razors and noticed once again the delightful yet strangely scented handles that it struck me that I had not noticed the scent disclaimer on my new package -- this was because there was no disclaimer. My immediate assumption was that Gillette had ditched the disclaimer on all of their packages. 

Out of pure curiosity, I asked my girlfriend to look at the packages the next time she was at Target or a similar store. Less than a week later, I received a text of the above picture and there it was, the disclaimer. So naturally, I can't help but wonder what it is about the market in So. California that appeals to the absurd idea of scented handles. 

To answer this questions, one must dive into the difficult process of defining customers' needs and wants across expansive segments and cultures. A quality that one segment finds enduring and value adding, another might find ridiculous and unnecessary. From someone like me, I wonder if adding scent to the handles raises the cost of the product and ultimately making it less appealing. However, some expert must have uncovered the fact that in select areas scented handles add value and should be marketed as such. Even the thought of putting together that puzzle is exhausting, but a necessary part of branding and marketing.

Branding and Packaging Article