The legendary ear-to-chin stroke - wish you could do it, too?

[HoratioCaine]

In persuing a few Gillette ads on Youtube, I noticed they all feature the "legendary" ear-to-chin stroke. Here are a few of varying vintages (and quality) for your viewing pleasure. Please feel free to contribute more, if you like.

Tip: If you get bored, at least check out one of the Prestobarba3 clips from Mexico, as well as one of the Blue II clips. Those are worth the price of admission.

Fusion Power

Fusion Hydra Gel

Mach3 Turbo "Winner" (Funny, aren't these the same guys who were just telling blokes in the Western World that Mach3s are crap?)

Mach3 Turbo

Sensor Excel (for Hispanic market)

Original Sensor with Gillette Gel (Note that here Gillette has begun promoting the Gillette Gel, as opposed to the Foamy in the other Sensor commercial, below.)

Original Sensor with Gillette Foamy

Atra (U.S.)

Atra (Venezuela) (Note the very different marketing approach from the U.S. version. Apparently American men impress their women by possessing wholesome values, striving for personal achievement against all odds, and shaving with an Atra, whereas chicks dig the Venezuelan men cuz they're studs - who shave with an Atra. Who knew?)

Good News Plus (thanks, Schmmd)

Blue II (thanks, Koss)

Blue II (alternate version)

Inoxydavel DE blade (Apparently at one time you could do the ear-to-chin stroke using a DE - at least if you were Italian.)

Prestobarba3

Prestobarba3 (¡Màs suave!)

Prestobarba Excel (Note the nice sexual imagery with the shock absorber.)

Prestobarba

Edit: The making-of video for the Prestobarba print campaign is back up and running. Previously, I had linked directly to where they show the makeup artists constructing the ear-to-chin stroke for a still shot, but for some reason doing the direct link caused the whole video to stop working. This link starts you at the beginning of the video, but the make-up work starts at 2:55, if you want to jump there.

 

[kingfisher]

Genius!

 

[Sullybob]

Good stuff. I always wondered how they get the shaving cream to look like that. Now I know.....

I think the guy at the 15 second mark of the Blue II (alternate version) thinks he is splashing on some Mandom!

 

[HoratioCaine]

This isn't a Gillette ad, or even a shaving ad - it's for Old Spice deodorant. But it just shows you how ad men recognize that they cannot underestimate the intelligence of their audience. They know they must make relevant ads about the quality of the product itself, and not just rely on image association and sex appeal. Truly refreshing.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Good stuff. I always wondered how they get the shaving cream to look like that. Now I know.....

I'm afraid I had to take that one out because the video went on the fritz. A number of times I've linked to a specific point within a Youtube video (not the beginning), the video ends up not playing after a few views. If anybody can tell me how to fix it, I will; I've saved the URL.

 

[krevo]

Great stuff, Horatio! I especially like the one that starts at the left earlobe and extends down the jaw line all the way to the right side of the chin.

 

[Sullybob]

This isn't a Gillette ad, or even a shaving ad - it's for Old Spice deodorant. But it just shows you how ad men recognize that they cannot underestimate the intelligence of their audience. They know they must make relevant ads about the quality of the product itself, and not just rely on image association and sex appeal. Truly refreshing.

That was a really spicy ad!

 

[HoratioCaine]

After watching that Dara O'Briain clip on the Fusion Power Stealth that Cymric posted, I almost spewed Guinness out of my nose after watching this Italian ad for same. The thing really does disappear!

 

[Sullybob]

That was funny.

"Do you have to defeat a boss on blade 4 to unlock blade 5?"

 

[HoratioCaine]

O'Briain rightly makes a point of how consdescending the name Fusion Power Stealth is, but is it any dumber than Mach3 Power Nitro? And just who, by the way, voted it "Product of the Year 2006"?

And those who complain that the markup on Fusion cartridges is astronomical, given what they actually cost to be made, have missed the point entirely. Gillette has to charge so bloody much to pay for ads like this. And if the production value isn't enough, keep in mind that this was the original Fusion ad, a full minute's worth, which Gillette debuted during the Super Bowl. (Having said that, I'd lay odds that paying to keep Tiger Woods and Roger Federer in tow costs them even more.)

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Someone has to pay for those ads.

 

[Koss]

O'Briain rightly makes a point of how consdescending the name Fusion Power Stealth is, but is it any dumber than Mach3 Power Nitro? And just who, by the way, voted it "Product of the Year 2006"?

And those who complain that the markup on Fusion cartridges is astronomical, given what they actually cost to be made, have missed the point entirely. Gillette has to charge so bloody much to pay for ads like this. And if the production value isn't enough, keep in mind that this was the original Fusion ad, a full minute's worth, which Gillette debuted during the Super Bowl. (Having said that, I'd lay odds that paying to keep Tiger Woods and Roger Federer in tow costs them even more.)

m3 winner... Mach3 Power Nitro... what the heck?!?!!! They all use the same m3 cartridge no?

Before I switched to DE's, I was up to the M3 power... and the cartridges between the power and regular where the same thing. Just had a different colored rubber strip.

Why can't a razor have one single name? Do we really need 5 labels describing something that just shaves the face?

I guess maybe they name each razor blade in the cartridge now!

Started with the sensor... and ended with the M3 power... no more thank you.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Started with the sensor... and ended with the M3 power... no more thank you.

If you think about it, all this naming escalation is a grotesque permutation of what originally started very sensibly with the Atra (or maybe the Trac II). When they added the lube strip, the called it the Atra Plus. It was a sensible enough approach at the time, but as with all ideas that seem to work and make sense, marketers have to ratchet them up to the point where you want to pull your hair out each time you see one of their ads. And they're still going - two Fusion cartridges, at least three Fusion handles (I lost count). This concept has more stamina than the Energizer bunny.

 

[Koss]

If you think about it, all this naming escalation is a grotesque permutation of what originally started very sensibly with the Atra (or maybe the Trac II). When they added the lube strip, the called it the Atra Plus. It was a sensible enough approach at the time, but as with all ideas that seem to work and make sense, marketers have to ratchet them up to the point where you want to pull your hair out each time you see one of their ads. And they're still going - two Fusion cartridges, at least three Fusion handles (I lost count). This concept has more stamina than the Energizer bunny.

I've always kept hold of an old razor well after the next best thing since sliced bread came out to the market. I always viewed them all as just marketing schemes. I used sensors until I couldn't find blades for it any more locally.. then switched to mach 3's... and only went through to turbo and powered versions since I'd lose the handle on a trip or an ex girlfriend would commender one for their shaving razor. So ended up buying it over and over again who knows how many times.

Then there was a period where I was tired of trying to unclog the damn things during a shave. I grow a very densely packed beard. Half the time I used up just clearing those cartridges up!

I have a dopp bag full of my old cartridge razors(Including brand new and some even unopened packages of replacement refill cartridges)! I have found a sensor excel handle. Mach3 handle, Quattro handle, and another I am forgetting about. I lost my last most recently used razor (The Vibrating marital aid m3 power) when I moved from my apartment.

So glad I lost it. It is what probably hit the last nail in the coffin and got me looking for something different.

Cheers to any further upcomming Fusion Stealth Powered Nuclear Helium-3 Fission After-Burner Reaction Nitro NOS Phantom Warp Poweredx2^3 Thermostat High Octane Regulated Extreme Mach7 Ramjet Booster Faster-than-light Pro Elite Uber Neo III's that come out! I might try one if it comes in the mail. Hopefully it will fit on my doorstep, with all the added shiny molded multicolored plastic and electronics hanging off of the unit and extra surface area for the Name Logo.

 

[scooby074]

That was a really spicy ad!

I had no idea what they were advertising, but i knew i had to have it...

After watching that Dara O'Briain clip on the Fusion Power Stealth that Cymric posted, I almost spewed Guinness out of my nose after watching this Italian ad for same. The thing really does disappear!

He really hit the nail on the head. Good commentary.

 

[HoratioCaine]

I had no idea what they were advertising, but i knew i had to have it...

After watching that ad the tenth time through, I finally realized there was text accompanying the visuals, which translates roughly as, "When women sweat, they're sexy. When you sweat, you STINK."

 

[BradF]

m3 winner... Mach3 Power Nitro... what the heck?!?!!! They all use the same m3 cartridge no?

It doesn't seem odd at all to me. Aristocrat, Diplomat, Senator, and a plain run of the mill Superspeed all use the same blade. Shaves may be different based on construction differences (only vintage I own is an undated SS, so I can't say for sure), but the new design may have made someone buy a new razor back in the day. It sure seems to have worked here!

 

[Hansel]

"When women sweat, they're sexy. When you sweat, you STINK."

Ahahahhaha...Can't stretch it that far. If she smells like fresh sweat, I'm not bothered, usually. Give it two or three hours and then...Forget it! Anybody would need a shower then, with or without triple-stick applicator turbo atomic deodorant!

But yes, don't you just love it when people try to go for the easy sell? Why put effort into creating something thats actually useful and can be sold easily due to it's inherent qualities when you can pump out cheap crap (Like five bladed razors...), turn their brains off, and tell them to get out the charge card right now because it'll make you super sexy?

 

[ambrose]

I do it with a straight razor, it sure cleans you up.

 

[Sullybob]

After watching that ad the tenth time through, I finally realized there was text accompanying the visuals, which translates roughly as, "When women sweat, they're sexy. When you sweat, you STINK."

Thanks for dissecting that ad for me I knew I was just not getting the message


That should be someone's signature.....