07.01.08
Procter & Gamble is getting set to launch a men's body wash under the Gillette brand name, according to industry reports. The Gillette 2-in-1 Dry Skin Hydrator + Body Wash will enter a category that already includes similar brands from Adidas, Axe, L’Oréal and Neutrogena, as well as P&G’s existing Old Spice body wash brand, which is marketed to young men and teens.
It's the latest move to expand the Gillette brand, which P&G acquired in 2005 for $57 billion. And more expansions may be on the way. Wall St analysts' comments are suggesting that P&G is soon to launch a Gillette line of hair care products for men as well.
When asked about this, Colin Hession, managing director of Colin Hession Consulting, commented:
"If this is the case, it's no great surprise to industry observers. There are currently no mainstream hair care brands aimed solely at men— most brands just have male variants—and Gillette has to be the strongest male brand name in the whole of personal care. Yet in most Western countries, men wash their hair just as frequently as women, sometimes more. So P&G is wisely leveraging their Gillette purchase to the full.
"What is a surprise is that male brands in other toiletry segments, like Unilever's Axe, have been so slow off the mark in anticipating this fairly obvious move from Gillette," Mr. Hession continued. "Axe has in fact tested hair care rather half heartedly in the past, but has never seemed serious about it. Any major launch from Gillette will now take the high ground and make any me-too's that much harder to establish. If, as and when male hair care from Gillette does hit the shelves, I think it will be a great success—and a hard act to follow."
It's the latest move to expand the Gillette brand, which P&G acquired in 2005 for $57 billion. And more expansions may be on the way. Wall St analysts' comments are suggesting that P&G is soon to launch a Gillette line of hair care products for men as well.
When asked about this, Colin Hession, managing director of Colin Hession Consulting, commented:
"If this is the case, it's no great surprise to industry observers. There are currently no mainstream hair care brands aimed solely at men— most brands just have male variants—and Gillette has to be the strongest male brand name in the whole of personal care. Yet in most Western countries, men wash their hair just as frequently as women, sometimes more. So P&G is wisely leveraging their Gillette purchase to the full.
"What is a surprise is that male brands in other toiletry segments, like Unilever's Axe, have been so slow off the mark in anticipating this fairly obvious move from Gillette," Mr. Hession continued. "Axe has in fact tested hair care rather half heartedly in the past, but has never seemed serious about it. Any major launch from Gillette will now take the high ground and make any me-too's that much harder to establish. If, as and when male hair care from Gillette does hit the shelves, I think it will be a great success—and a hard act to follow."