Procter & Gamble (PG) Co.’s Gillette, seeking to revive sluggish demand for its shaving products, introduced a $11.49 razor with a rolling head that’s designed to ride the contours of a man’s face.
The Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall technology will begin shipping in the next few weeks and be widely available by June 9, Gillette said today at an event in New York.
A battery-powered version will sell for $12.59.
The rolling ball represents Gillette’s latest attempt to get men to upgrade the way they shave, and spend more money along the way. Earlier this year, the company unveiled Gillette Body, its first razor designed for a man’s body. The Fusion ProGlide Styler, a 3-in-1 facial styling product, debuted in 2012. Gillette also began an online blade subscription service that lets customers get new cartridges automatically.
The new razor handle works with existing blade cartridges, so the product will provide less of a recurring revenue stream for Gillette. Still, the company continues to innovate and more products are on the way, said Patrice Louvet, group president of global grooming and shaving care.
“Guys are always looking for a better shaving experience,” Louvet said in an interview after the event. “There’s innovation in the pipeline on the razor blades and the handle.”
P&G’s grooming business, which includes shaving cream, razor blades and deodorant, generated $8.04 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year and accounted for 9.4% of the company’s sales. The business declined 3.6% from the previous year.
Bloomberg
