Harry’s heads to the UK after taking on Gillette and Unilever in the US

Digital disruption can hit any industry and the razor market is no exception. Six years ago, the Dollar Shave Club (now bought over by Unilever) offered a cheaper alternative to razors by running an online subscription shaving service. Its effectiveness can be gauged by the fact that market leader Gillette, having lost share for the last six quarters, has decided to join the race by launching its own online shave club.

Shaving clubs are now on their way to UK. But it is neither Gillette nor Dollar Shave Club that has made the first move. It is a four-year-old American brand Harry’s that has made quite a marketing splash in the UK after attracting three million customers in the US.

A trial subscription for the service costs £2.95. Signing up gets you a handle, blade, shave gel and a travel blade cover. The end of the trial period will give you an automatic enrolment to a subscription plan depending upon your needs.

The brand officially opened for business in the UK in June, and unveiled its outdoor and digital campaign in mid-July. Although it does not have Dollar Shave Club to contend with here, there are small UK brands like Cornerstone, the Bearded Colonel and FFS (Friction Free Shaving) that could prove to be thorns.

Dollar Shave Club holds 54 per cent of the online shaving market in the US, while Gillette has 21 per cent. Both are yet to enter the UK market.

Source : https://www.marketingweek.com/2017/07/31/harrys-shaving-disrupt-uk-market/