Wilkinson to take on rival with ‘his’ and ‘hers’ razors

Wilkinson Sword is gearing up for its latest assault on Gillette with the launch of two new four-bladed razors.

The first, Quattro Titanium, is aimed at the male market and claims to be the first shaving platform to have blades with an undercoating of titanium to reduce skin-drag.

The product, which will be supported by a major TV and press campaign, has also undergone a redesign and now features a brushed metal handle to improve shelf-stand out.

The second, Quattro for Women, claims to be the first four-bladed razor designed specifically for the female market and the first women’s razor to feature a solid metal handle.

The product, which also features an improved grip, will be supported by a major advertorial and PR campaign, with 100,000 samples given away in Fitness First gyms around the country.

A Wilkinson Sword spokeswoman says that Quattro Titanium was developed after research showed that male consumers wanted better skin protection from their shaving products.

She adds that Quattro for Women was developed after research found that a quarter of women use a men’s razor, as they felt that the best technology had not yet reached the female market.

The launch comes as BIC gears up to take on Gillette in the three-blade disposable market (MW last week).

Comfort 3 Advance is due to hit the supermarket shelves in March and has been redesigned to appeal to younger consumers.

The razor now includes the typical features of cartridge-based systems such as a rubber grip, a pivoting head and an aloe vera lubricating strip.