| Because of its leadership position, the defender | | | | product was better than the Trac II, the |
| owns a strong point in the mind of the prospect. | | | | nonadjustable two-bladed razor.Nor did Gillette |
| The best way to improve your position is by | | | | hesitate to introduce Good News, an inexpensive |
| constantly attacking it. In other words, you | | | | disposable razor (with two blades, no less). This |
| strengthen your position by introducing new | | | | was an obvious attack against Bic, who was |
| products or services that obsolete your existing | | | | preparing to introduce its own disposable |
| ones.IBM is a master of the game. Every so | | | | razor.Good News was not good news for Gillette |
| often, IBM introduces a new line of mainframe | | | | stockholders. The disposable cost more to make |
| computers with significant price/performance | | | | and sold for less than Gillette's refillable cost more |
| advantages over existing products.Competition | | | | to make and sold for less than an Atra or Trac II |
| continually struggles trying to catch up. A moving | | | | was costing Gillette money.But Good News was |
| target is harder to hit than a stationary | | | | good marketing strategy. It blocked Bic from |
| one.Gillette is another example. Gillette owned the | | | | running away with the disposable portion of the |
| wet-shaving market with a product called the Blue | | | | market. Furthermore, Bic paid dearly for its |
| Blade and subsequently the Super Blue Blade.The | | | | modest share. Trade sources say Bic lost $25 |
| company was stunned when rival Wilkinson Sword | | | | million in its first 3 years in the disposable razor |
| beat it to the market in the early sixties with the | | | | business.Gillette continues its relentless strategy of |
| stainless blade. Then in 1970 Wilkinson Sword | | | | attacking itself. Recently it introduced Pivot, the |
| followed with the bonded blade, a metal blade | | | | first adjustable disposable. This time, its own Good |
| fused to plastic at the "optimum shaving angle." | | | | News product is the target.Gillette has gradually |
| At that point Gillette got its act together and | | | | increased its share of the wet-shaving market. |
| started to play a brilliant game of defensive | | | | Today it has some 65 percent of the |
| warfare.Shortly thereafter Gillette | | | | business.Attacking yourself may sacrifice |
| counterattacked with Trac II, the world's first | | | | short-term profits, but it has one fundamental |
| double-bladed razor. The success of Trac II set | | | | benefit. It protects market share, the ultimate |
| the pattern for future Gillette strategy. "Two | | | | weapon in any marketing battle.The reverse is |
| blades are better than one," said Gillette's | | | | also true. Any company that hesitates to attack |
| advertising."Better than one Super Blue Blade," | | | | itself usually loses market share and ultimately |
| said the company's customer who promptly | | | | market leadership.This article may be re-printed as |
| bought the new product instead of the old. (It's | | | | long as following resource box is included as it is |
| better to take business away from yourself than | | | | with out any alteration.This Marketing Idea is |
| have someone else do it for you.)Six years later, | | | | published by Visit us to find more of cheeky gorilla |
| the company introduced Atra, the first adjustable | | | | Ideas. |
| double-bladed razor. Again, by implication the new | | | | |