How Gillette Innovated and Improved its Market share in India

This case study looks at how Gillette innovated by tailoring advertising and inventing a new
product development process to reflect local shaving habits.
Executive Summary: Traditionally, Gillette relied on extensive research and development to
create a single product for global distribution. The product was supported by a marketing
premise that it would be equally valuable to customers globally. But Gillette set aside its global
strategy in India and grew its market share dramatically. This case study looks at how Gillette
innovated by tailoring advertising and inventing a new product development process to reflect
local shaving habits.
By: Gabriela Berner, Jade Chang, Marina Dunaeva, and Leonardo Scamazzo.

Although Gillette entered the Indian market in 1984 and launched its newest triple-blade
system, Mach3 in 2004, sales were flat for a long time. The product did not go through any
changes and kept its key features - such as long lasting diamond-like coating blades,
'PowerGlide' smoothness, ergonomic handles, pivoting precision heads - and premium price,
which was 10 times more than its two-blade competitors.
Even though the target customers were professional men with higher disposable incomes than
the average Indian, the traditional, double-edged razor, could not be dislodged. Indian men do
not consider shaving a significant enough activity to justify such a premium. Gillette's Mach3
value proposition was based on extensive consumer research, which highlighted key concerns
men had about shaving: it was time-consuming, caused skin irritation and was generally
unpleasant. Mach3 promised "the closest shave ever in fewer strokes - with less irritation".
Research and development served as the key value network component supporting this value
proposition, as it was crucial to deliver the promised performance. Manufacturing, distribution,
marketing and advertising were geared for the global introduction through increased
production capacity and aligned promotional material.
With such indifference towards shaving, Gillette had to focus on changing the consumer's
attitude, leading to some creative marketing campaigns. For example, the launch of the newest
Gillette Mach3 in 2009 was supported by the 'Shave India Movement 2009' campaign which
included several initiatives. Gillette created the platform 'India Votes... to shave or not' to
support this campaign, which asked three controversial questions: Are clean-shaven men more
successful? Did the nation prefer clean-shaven celebrities? And the big one: do women prefer
clean-shaven men? For two months, various media channels picked up on the campaign and
ran interviews, discussions, editorials and news stories, which triggered popular interest. The
main purpose was to create a debate around shaving.
The company created the Women Against Lazy Stubble (WALS) association, where women were
encouraged to ask their men to shave, capitalising on their role as influencers of men in this
aspect. Gillette recruited Bollywood celebrities such as Arjun Rampal and Neha Dhupia to
support the campaign. This innovative way of marketing proved to be effective and as
awareness grew, sales and market share increased by 38 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.
Until 2010, Gillette India had been following a strategy of marketing cheaper-end US-developed
razors. However, low-income Indian customers who could not afford Gillette's premium price
relied on the outdated, but traditional, double-edged razor shaving systems. An estimated 400
million customers not happy with existing market offerings provided a promising growth
opportunity for Gillette. Thus, it focused on understanding its customers and the challenges
they faced, which required spending hours visiting and interviewing consumers in order to
understand the role of grooming in their lives and their needs.
The company realised that apart from affordability, customers also valued safety and ease of
use. Those customers' needs would not be satisfied by Gillette's existing offering - most lacked
running water, had to manage longer facial hair and sit on the floor while shaving. Nor were
they satisfied with the existing double-razor solution as they caused frequent cuts.
Once Gillette understood this consumer segment, the company created a new customised
product. Gillette Guard, the first product created just for the Indian market, was introduced in
October 2010. It was priced at just Rs15 per razor - less than 35 cents and three per cent of the
top-ofthe-range Fusion ProGlide price. At Rs5 for a refill cartridge, Gillette Guard met customer
expectations on safety and ease of use.
Gillette made several changes to Gillette Guard from the traditional razor systems produced in
the developed world. Extra blades were eliminated. Gillette Guard's single-blade system does
not follow the trend of increasing the number of blades in a razor made for developed
countries. Design complexity was reduced. Gillette Guard is a much simpler design with fewer
parts to assemble during the manufacturing process.
Features such as easy-rinse cartridges and lightweight, ribbed handles were designed. Easy-
rinse cartridges help customers save water and ensure the blades are clean, even if running
water is not available. The new handle has a better grip, making the experience easier and
safer. Safety comb and hang hole in the handle was introduced. Designing a safety comb tackles
the problem of frequent cuts, especially for men who are not daily shavers and deal with longer
hair. The hang hole was introduced as a response to less convenient conditions and to allow for
easy drying and storage.
The research and development process was reinvented to come up with the product tailored to
target customers' needs. Simplified design means 80 per cent fewer parts are used in
production compared to Gillette Vector. This helps cut manufacturing costs to ensure that the
low price does not interfere with the business model's sustainability. Apart from research and
development, Gillette also built Guard's distribution network across millions of small local
shops, where it was more likely to reach its target customers, rather than bigger retail chains.
This ensured a wide distribution reach.
Unlike the heavy digital marketing strategies used in the developed world, the campaign for
promoting Gillette Guard was based on traditional advertisements featuring Bollywood actors.
Additionally, the success of changing Indian men's shaving culture played a significant role in
marketing Gillette Guard. As the first product designed for men specifically in this market,
Gillette Guard is touted as "one of the most significant product launches in Gillette history".
Gillette's success in India hinged on its capacity to innovate. Firstly, it used innovative ways to
communicate with its consumers in 2009 in order to attract a once indifferent segment.
Through a creative use of traditional ads and marketing campaigns that supported the launch of
the new Gillette Mach3, Gillette was able to change consumers' indifference towards shaving
and create a true momentum for its products. In this way, Gillette shifted from a market-driven
to a market-driving approach.
Secondly, in 2010, Gillette did something the Harvard Business Review described as "reverse
innovation" to develop a product that would satisfy the needs of the lower income customer.
After failing to gain significant market share in India by selling its lower and mid-tier American
razors in different packaging, Gillette adopted a different approach. It went back to the source
by making significant investments in market research to better understand the needs and
preferences of target consumers.
Gillette understood that Indian consumers' needs, culture and attitude towards shaving were
radically different from those of Western consumers. Rather than lowering performance,
Gillette kept the valued customer at the core of its strategy and introduced an innovative value
proposition for the value-for-money customer. Moreover, Gillette was able to deliver its
promise to customers by putting in place an appropriate value network. In addition to a
customised product, all the elements of the business model were coherent with the value
proposition and mutually reinforcing.
Local manufacturing enabled Gillette to lower its cost structure and maintain low prices. The
distribution model, not based on few large retailers, but on millions of local shops called
kiranas, allowed Gillette to achieve a higher market penetration. The Gillette Guard case in
India is the typical success story suitable for a marketing strategy book. However, there are
some aspects of the strategy that appear to be controversial. One is related to environmental
sustainability. Guard uses disposable cartridges which makes it not exactly an environmentally-
friendly product.
A mistake that multinationals make is to push global brands in a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Gillette's strategy of spending time and resources understanding Indian consumers' needs
proved to be the key to its success.
Secondly, Gillette's business model in India shows some weaknesses. Emerging markets such as
India are known for producing high volumes of generic products. Given the low barriers to entry
in the razor business, there are some doubts about how Gillette will sustain its competitive
advantage. Innovative start-ups (e.g. DollarShaveClub) are growing fast in the US by selling
simple two blade razors online at a fraction of Gillette's price. A lower price is made possible by
a simple product design and limited marketing and overhead costs. It is possible a low-cost
competitor will enter the Indian market, challenging Gillette's market share.
To remain competitive, Gillette must keep the valued customer at the core of its strategy and
adapt its business model accordingly. Other companies can learn from Gillette's case in India. A
recurrent mistake that multinationals make is to push global brands in a one-size fits-all
strategy. Gillette's strategy of spending time and resources understanding Indian consumers'
needs proved to be the key to its success. This understanding helped it innovate through
developing new products and creative communication ways to attract and engage Indian
consumers.