Gillette radically transformed the way men shave. They no more needed to send their straight-edgerazor to the barber for sharpening. The idea of clamping a smaller version of a straight edge onto a handle was termed as genius.
BLAZE TO BRILLIANCE
Over the centuries, the pursuit of a better way to shave facial hair has taken many twists and turns. But it wasn’t till 1901 that King C. Gillette started a razor-revolution. The invention of the first safety razor, which was granted a patent in 1904, answered an average man’s quest for a better shaving experience. In 2005, the consumer product giant Procter & Gamble acquired Gillette in a $57 billion deal, thus forming the world’s largest consumer products company.
As of now, Gillette has two dedicated research and development centres – in Boston, USA and in Reading, UK. These two centres are amongst 14 such P&G facilities where Gillette products are developed.

The Boston manufacturing centre is also known as the ‘Gillette World Shaving Headquarters’ and has been the technical centre for developing and manufacturing the newest wet shaving technology since 1903. The Reading innovation centre, UK, has been a world-class innovation powerhouse inventing groundbreaking products that have delighted the consumers since 1959.
FAITH FACTOR
The company operates in three segments— personal grooming, oral care and portable power. Gillette’s first advanced shaving product came under the name ‘Gillette Presto Ready Shaver’ and eventually came into the bracket of top 100 Indian companies in terms of market capitalisation. For the year 2014, Gillette India recorded an increase of 16.57 per cent in its net profits.
ENGAGEMENT THAT ENTHRALS
Sports marketing has played an important role for the Gillette brand, helping it to tap into a key passion for men and strengthening its connection with the consumers. But in 2013, Gillette launched its unique campaign in India called, ‘Soldier for Women’. With a purpose to help men make a difference in their world, the campaign called out to all the men who embrace the values of a solider by standing up for women.
INNOVEDGE
Gillette entered the Indian market in 1984 and came up with two products – 7 O’clock Ejtek PII twin blade shaving system and shaving cream with three variants. It also became the first company to launch shaving cream with some special features in the Indian market.
For over a century, Gillette has been amongst the leaders in shaving innovations, delivering cutting edge technology to the consumers. Honouring its credo, ‘There is a better way to shave and we will find it’, Gillette remains true to the spirit as it continues to deliver on the promise of innovations in blade technologies and razors.
BRAND EQUITY
Celebrating 100 years in the business, Gillette has been abiding by its tagline, ‘The best a man can get’ and consequently have come up with the successful Gillette series products like shave foam, shave gel, after shave splashes, deodorants and conditioners, which all became a runaway success. Raising its bar, in 2000 Gillette introduced razors designed especially for women.