Procter & Gamble unveils major Venus razor launch

Procter & Gamble is launching a major extension to its Venus women’s razor range, which will be backed with the brand’s biggest TV spend in the UK. Venus Breeze is expected to launch imminently.

The range has a bar of shaving gel built into the cartridge, which P&G claims will eliminate the need for separate shaving gel. It is the first major launch under the Venus brand since P&G acquired Gillette just over three years ago.

Venus Breeze, which is already available in the UK, will be backed by an estimated £10m TV campaign as part of a “full holistic marketing plan”. A television ad, created by BBDO New York, will break on March 1 and will be followed by press and radio ads beginning in April.

P&G has said that it planned to exploit Gillette’s expertise in marketing to women, historically about 80% of P&G’s customers, and brand extensions, such as shaving products and body lotions, were expected.

Trademark problems and other difficulties in the US have meant that P&G has not been able to launch any Venus-branded lines. Pure Divine, a body wash launched in 2007, classed by P&G as a Venus extension, did not bear the Venus name and was restricted to a small-scale launch in Canada and has yet to reach the UK.

A second Venus razor, called Venus Embrace, is to launch in the US next week. This latest addition to the Venus stable has five blades, which adjust individually and the cartridge contains ribbons of moisturiser surrounding the blades, intended to improve glide. It is not known when this product will arrive in the UK.