Take proper care of your skin


The Best Defensive Strategy is the Courage to Attack Yourself

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



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