Comments on: Proctor and Gamble Eats Values for Lunch

by: Jackoulin Lift

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:20:22 +0000

Nick,

I was watching Discovery Channel the other night and they showed these scavangers on the landfills that you are talking about. It is amazing that we live in this day and age with the technoology and know how to eliminate these social problems, yet they still exist around the world. Sad.

Jack L.

by: IncrediBILL

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:17:23 +0000

Having spent some time in India, often those barbershops of which you speak are nothing more than a chair sitting on the sidewalk. Think shoe-shine stand in America and you’re closer to the truth.

However, I remember seeing those sidewalk barbers using a traditional straight razor so I can’t really comment on what this fuss is about.

India has far worse problems than razors as long as people continue squat and ooze diarrhea on the side of the road in public mainly because there are no toilets anywhere in sight.

by: Stever

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:29:16 +0000

This is why I am a once a week, or two weeks shaver. Actually I rarely shave down to clean skin any more, just use electric clippers to maintain a Miami Vice/ Don Johnson style stubble. Environmental aspects aside, and not actually trying to be hip with my stubble look, I’m really just very lazy when it comes to shaving. Actually is one of the benefits of being an SEO in front of a computer all day and client interaction is mostly email and phone.

The disposable razor industry drives me nuts. Adding one more blade, now at 5 or 6?, is just so incredibly INNOVATIVE. And the masses suck it up as the best shit, errr, I mean shave, ever. Reality is they pack the blades a little closer, how else do you get 5 blades into that little head, so they get clogged with hair clippings sooner thus requiring you to dispose of it sooner and snap on a new one. Speeding up the buying cycle is the value there, it’s not a closer shave.

I read this line;

“She tells us “The team’s razor-and-blade innovation, they report, involves simplification to the essential features to do the job, an affordable cost through manufacturing innovations, and new way to reach lower-income shavers…”

- what comes to my mind is they are probably just going back to manufacturing the old 2 blade designs they can’t sell in North America anymore as they’ve convinced everyone of the VALUE of the new improved 3 blade designs, then the 4 blade, now the 5 blade. Meanwhile at the big-chain drug stores you can still find the 2 blade designs, but are now no-named knock-offs (the ones I buy, and they fit my 10 year old Gillette Sensor Excel handles, woot) as Gillette can’t tarnish it’s brand with that low level crap anymore.

Winter is coming. Being in Canada it gets a tad chilly. I’ll be going unshaven for a few months here soon. I do love my winter beard.

In 10 years from now that technologically ground breaking and innovative 30 blade shaving head will also double as your morning weight lifting workout. Or that’s how they’ll spin the marketing. By that time they’ll be able to be pawning those 5 blade designs on India and maybe Sub-Saharan Africa or Afghanistan will be then ready for the 2 bladers.

umm yeah, I kinda liked your post John :)

by: Nick

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:50:45 +0000

Excellent take-down. I’d like to add one point. In countries like India, the disposable razors go to the landfill, and are then salvaged by an army of scavengers, who then introduce the used disposable razors to the indigent community. (This is why I always separate disposable razors from soiled diapers, pus-stained bandages, etc.) In any case, the disposable razors are actually LESS hygienic in third-world countries in terms of their aggregate effect on the population.

Thanks for the added insight, Nick. Unlike Proctor & Gambles “Himalayan Team”, I didn’t spend time in India, and don’t pretend to understand their current culture.