Gillette: Transgender Shaving Ad

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: jidnum

So they target people who are a fraction of the market they were in?

How is that business sense? First they air an ad chiding their regular customers for being horrible. Then they start airing ads about being "woke." Most of the woke set are sporting beards and refuse to shave in order to signal their resistance to the patriarchy.

Not all businesses are smart but yes, they are going to target a fraction of their market. They probably see that this whole trans thing isn't going anywhere so they might as well get in on it at the ground floor.

Are you implying they are doing something else here?

I for one don't let a commercial bother me. A Business can do whatever they want and if they want to advertise to the trans community then so be it. Doesn't bother me how they waste their money.

a reply to: Edumakated

It really is so simple... business growth must be constant in a finite world, cannot reach more audience... controversy sells in this new age where traditional ads are not working anymore, with ad blockers and folks switching off during ad breaks etc.



Want it to stop? Stop getting annoyed by it, stop commenting on it, stop drawing attention to it, ignore it all as its nothing to do with our fellow man/woman/trans/child/test tube baby/non-binary/binary + 3/ or whatever else anyone labels themselves on a personal level... only profits matter to corporations.

Have to hand it to them, it is absolutely brilliant marketing. I estimate it will take around a decade for most folks to catch on to whats going on, then it will be robots or something else they trigger everyone to talk about everywhere followed by anything to get people arguing about their products anywhere.

a reply to: XXXN3O

Not sure how it actually sells razors though.

Hey, there's that company that's pissing everyone off. I'll buy their stuff.

I want stuff that's good, not stuff that annoys me by preaching at everyone. Preaching doesn't translate to quality. How does stuffing Miss Piggy into a bikini tell me anything about how good their razors are? If they want to do that, they needed to at least tell me those blades are good enough to cover every square mile of skin without losing their edge.

Instead, they're telling me I could weigh enough to have to buy two seats on most airlines and still be pretty or something.

Says nothing about a razor and whether or not I'll end up flaying myself.

a reply to: Edumakated

see its black people.

before watching the whole video most of my black friends can't grow facial hair like me(white) and always get it done at the barber like myself. most men go to barbers at least once a month and part of that is getting your facial hair taken care of, obviously this isn't a blanket statement but i think targeting trans guys for a razor ad is a little try hard most trans guys look like kids in high school as far as facial hair.

im not knocking any trans person in fact i could care less if a person is trans gay white black etc, as long as they aren't an ass they are A ok in my book

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: XXXN3O

Not sure how it actually sells razors though.

Hey, there's that company that's pissing everyone off. I'll buy their stuff.

I want stuff that's good, not stuff that annoys me by preaching at everyone. Preaching doesn't translate to quality. How does stuffing Miss Piggy into a bikini tell me anything about how good their razors are? If they want to do that, they needed to at least tell me those blades are good enough to cover every square mile of skin without losing their edge.

Instead, they're telling me I could weigh enough to have to buy two seats on most airlines and still be pretty or something.

Says nothing about a razor and whether or not I'll end up flaying myself.

Well, the market is saturated...

How else can you reach a new market share when traditional ads dont work anymore.

Most men are still going to buy their products unless it's the younger people influenced by social media and internet (young white men are a declining market).

Think about it, they can increase sales by capturing a new sector (growing market) whilst keeping the traditional baby boomer market they always have until they die out

Not that complicated I dont think.

Might help to try and imagine yourself in a position of meeting growth targets combined with nothing but profit in mind....

How can I sell more of this product using what people are talking about and what markets are growing. They don't give a s*it about anything other than the bottom line. Even people in this thread are apologising for certain views and others are arguing other views, its bloody genius!

a reply to: XXXN3O

Except they may be reaching that new market, but at what cost? How much of their old market are they alienating?

Men are 50% and woman are 50%. By putting out an ad that alienated traditional men, they risk alienating a good chunk of the first 50% in a saturated market, and for what share of what's left? How many of the woke crowd care to shave? Beards are hot in the younger set.

Then they continue on the woke path further alienating that same set for diminishing returns.

How many transgender girl to boy shavers do you really think there are?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: XXXN3O

Except they may be reaching that new market, but at what cost? How much of their old market are they alienating?

Men are 50% and woman are 50%. By putting out an ad that alienated traditional men, they risk alienating a good chunk of the first 50% in a saturated market, and for what share of what's left? How many of the woke crowd care to shave? Beards are hot in the younger set.

Then they continue on the woke path further alienating that same set for diminishing returns.

How many transgender girl to boy shavers do you really think there are?

It is nothing to do with values, nothing at all but profits. The old market share is dying quite literally and with purchasing power.

Im not here to do anything in this thread other than argue what I see from a business growth perspective. I don't work for any of these guys, it just makes sense to me.

Traditional advertisements are not working to increase sales, the traditional demographic is not growing either, same with movies, gaming, television, radio and all other traditional forms of media (even new forms are changing stance too).
They have no choice but to adapt and they will do so with whatever demographic they believe is growing. If it was not the case why would they do it?

Do a bit of digging into market demographics etc, it's all there if you look it up

From a moral, personal, individual, ethical or whatever standpoint anyone takes, it does not matter, revenue and profits are king in business and pretty much everyone on all sides is falling for it just like we all, always have.

I personally believe that people should see it for what it is and stop taking sides, buy something if you need or want it. My point does not matter, just like everyone elses. It will keep going on and on as it always has and will until people stop and think about what a business actually exists to do... MAKE PROFIT!

PS: I have no fricken clue how many transgender shavers there are!

My old granny used to shave though, she overcame a few illnesses in later years that messed with hormones. It scarred me for life catching her shaving her beard with the false teeth out!

I'm offended...

Why can't genders shave equally?

There aren't enough transgenders to make it worth alienating their core customer group. You don't go after a group that is maybe .01% of the population and piss off the 50% of the population that uses your product.

Whether we like it or not, trans folks are a controversial demographic and most men do not want anything to do with them. The last thing you want is your brand to be the "trans brand" if you are targeting the larger male population. It is one thing to show same sex couples or acknowledge lesbians / gays, but transgender is on a whole different ball field imho.

They are selling razors. Why does a razor brand need to be "woke" virtue signaling on PC issues? Just make a good razor at a fair price. It really isn't that hard.

a reply to: ketsuko

Why would you or anyone get pissed off about it..I just roll my eyes, maybe cringe a little, make a joke..but really, nothing I'm going to get worked up over.

It wouldn't encourage, nor stop me from buying their stuff..usually it's price that does it for me.

I had a friend who was ranting about an ad, I remember it being annoying as well, but the point was, my friend remembered the company name and product..that is all they(advertiser) want sometimes.

a reply to: vonclod

I would think you'd want good associations.

Hey it's gillette the razor of fat women, not hey it's gillette that razor that stays sharp and shaves like a dream.

I'll never forget Chrylser cars either, and it's for all the wrong reasons. Chrysler, at this point, doesn't want me remembering them. I'll never own a Chrysler thanks to the reasons why I remember their company name and product line.

originally posted by: Edumakated


They are selling razors. Why does a razor brand need to be "woke" virtue signaling on PC issues? Just make a good razor at a fair price. It really isn't that hard.

Erm, arent you forgetting something here (no offence intended - whole point)...



Market leader after years of the same then market was saturated and losing share of it...



Market leader up until 2010 in womans shaving products after losing out to competition on male market...

Then they tried going back, doing the whole thing with introducing more blades and all sorts of crap whilst losing market share on both sides...



Didnt work... you see they are not alienating their market, cause they don't have it anymore, they are reaching out to what they think is the future as they always have done and others follow...





Only thing they can do, to keep profits up, basic product life cycle extension tactics and if does not work they will try something else...

Im betting the next thing will be, all in it together or something similar "Best we all can be", only thing they can do after all of this stuff is nearly over and competitors copy them again.

a reply to: ketsuko

I hear you, and agree for the most part. I'm curious on the overall reaction to this ad, I'm sure some think it's wonderful, I don't, it's ridiculous virtue signalling, but not going to get myself in a lather over it!! ..pun intended.

Like I said early in this thread..it's trendy, soon enough, another trend will take over.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: ketsuko

I hear you, and agree for the most part. I'm curious on the overall reaction to this ad, I'm sure some think it's wonderful, I don't, it's ridiculous virtue signalling, but not going to get myself in a lather over it!! ..pun intended.

Like I said early in this thread..it's trendy, soon enough, another trend will take over.

Hit the nail well and truly on the head

a reply to: vonclod

I find it annoying because of what it's about. I'm tired of being preached at everywhere I go.

Stop preaching at me, and I'm more likely to look at you. Tell me why your product is worth my while and not why I'm not worth your while and we're likely to go further.

a reply to: XXXN3O

a reply to: XXXN3O

Not buying it...

Their market share has fallen because:

1) Beards are fashionable nowadays. People don't shave as much.
2) New upstarts like Harrys and Dollar Shave club. Not too mention Bevel targeted at black men (ironically bought by P&G).
3) People looking for more upscale grooming products

The only thing this ad does is virtue signal imho. It makes zero connection with the vast majority of their customers and I'd argue alienates them.

Tells me nothing about why I'd choose Gillette over a competitor.

To be clear, I don't care either way. I'm not a customer and never will be since I use an electric razor most of the time. The ad isn't triggering me. I just thought it was interesting giving their previous ad that was also controversial.

a reply to: ketsuko

I find it annoying too.

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: XXXN3O

Not buying it...

That's kinda why they are doing what they are.

You knew id pick that section out.

To be clear, I don't care either way. I'm not a customer and never will be since I use an electric razor most of the time. The ad isn't triggering me. I just thought it was interesting giving their previous ad that was also controversial.

Me too, electric razor and beard myself.

Totally agree with the other points too.

Yet you created the thread so argue the point against it without helping them if you do not like it.

If it was not the case, and it does not work, why are they doing it?

I think it is a case of good marketing. That is all I am saying here.