Sign of the Times?

Rufust445 · Post by **Rufust445** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:23 pm

Earlier today I was in a bar with two big flat panel TV sets behind the bar showing sports. A commercial on one of them was for Barbasol, and the shaver in it was clearly using an open comb DE razor. Not sure which brand or model.

I also found another Barbasol commercial where the user has a DE razor in his hand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80v5Wueed10

Regardless of your opinion of Barbasol, ya gotta give 'em credit for acknowledging the trend to DE shaving.

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:55 pm

I wouldn't have expected that.

- Murray

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:23 am

Really? Wow!...I am surprised too and I agree that it's kudos to Barbasol for coming out of the closet with this in a major TV commercial. Incredible!
Regards,
Gordon

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:33 am

ditto on what Murray and Gordon said

clive

Sodapopjones · Post by **Sodapopjones** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 3:19 am

MTV2 has a guy rocking either a fatboy or slim as their logo, I can't recall off the top of my head which it was...

I really hope wet-shaving doesn't become trendy.....

gsgo · Post by **gsgo** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:33 am

The best of all is it works pretty well, is inexpensive and made in america, what's not to like about that...c'mon guys get on board with Barbasol!

marsos52 · Post by **marsos52** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:43 am

maybe when they make it in a soap puck version i will

marc

michiganlover · Post by **michiganlover** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:41 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80v5Wueed10

Driving the Barbasol truck.....check
Can of Barbasol as a gift.....Huh??
Shaving......check
Shaving with a DE.....check
Hot Wife....check
Hot Wife in my shirt.....check
Candle light dinner....check
Pancakes for dinner...........WTF??

Sure, after driving my truck hard all week, what I most want is not a luscious steak dinner, but pancakes!!

And of course the other implication is, he is not coming anywhere near his wife until he shaves!

Also, I envision the Barbasol truck driver having cases of Barbasol at his house; either through theft, or as gifts from the company. So his wife giving him a can of Barbasol as a gift is pretty odd.

***So is the Barbasol truck driver coming home in the late evening (after dark), or in the early morning (before it's light)?

rsp1202 · Post by **rsp1202** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:25 am

gsgo wrote:The best of all is it works pretty well, is inexpensive and made in america, what's not to like about that...c'mon guys get on board with Barbasol!

I've wanted to like it, but it's all cush and no moisture/protection, no matter how many times I lather up or how long I let it soak in. Tubed creams work just the opposite so am always returning to the fold.

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:43 pm

This is a refreshing marketing shift, everything old is new again.

Racso_MS · Post by **Racso_MS** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:28 pm

michiganlover wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80v5Wueed10

Driving the Barbasol truck.....check
Can of Barbasol as a gift.....Huh??
Shaving......check
Shaving with a DE.....check
Hot Wife....check
Hot Wife in my shirt.....check
Candle light dinner....check
Pancakes for dinner...........WTF??

Sure, after driving my truck hard all week, what I most want is not a luscious steak dinner, but pancakes!!

And of course the other implication is, he is not coming anywhere near his wife until he shaves!

Also, I envision the Barbasol truck driver having cases of Barbasol at his house; either through theft, or as gifts from the company. So his wife giving him a can of Barbasol as a gift is pretty odd.

***So is the Barbasol truck driver coming home in the late evening (after dark), or in the early morning (before it's light)?

John,

You really need to read your own post. "HOT WIFE", "CANDLE LIGHT DINNER", "CLEAN SHAVE (with a DE)". Who cares if it's morning or evening, who cares if it's Barbasol, and who gives a rats a** if it's pancakes, steak or rice-a-roni. "HOT WIFE".

Rufust445 · Post by **Rufust445** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:44 pm

bernards66 wrote:Really? Wow!...I am surprised too and I agree that it's kudos to Barbasol for coming out of the closet with this in a major TV commercial. Incredible!
Regards,
Gordon

The commercial in the bar was during a basketball game on something called the Big Ten Network. Not long after, that TV set was switched to the Saints-Seahawks game.

I don't think Barbasol is ready to pay for NFL Playoff time, but they obviously spent some serious change to produce two commercials, with DE razors in them.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:13 pm

So it seems, and it's most surprising....and perhaps encouraging. Maybe this whole back to more traditional razors ( with less expensive blades ) thing is a little bigger than I'd assumed. If anyone would be likely to have their paw on that pulse it would likely be the Barbasol folks.
Regards,
Gordon

fisherprice · Post by **fisherprice** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:17 pm

...my guess would be that they didn't want to show a cartridge razor that they don't manufacture (free publicity for Gillette or Schick + issues with using someone else's patented product in an ad), so they went with a more "generic" version.

(Barbasol is owned by Perio according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbasol after spending some time owned by Pfizer.)

Dave

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:15 am

Dave, Perhaps, but I kind of doubt it. There are generic nebulous disposibles that they could have chosen that would not have presented those potential issues, and I've seen such disposibles featured in some ads. This DE thing struck me as more purposeful. Perhaps they thought it would more evoke the motif of a 'good old time shave', no nonsense or fancy smancy stuff....a trucker, several days growth of beard...real men, the real deal etc. Such an image/motif goes with the product that they're trying to sell, afterall. That original Barbasol that is featured is pretty old fashioned itself and is sort of part of the later DE era. I think they were deliberately trying to evoke something.
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:47 am

I know of 3 B&M shops here that are offering brand new DE razors for sale. Merkur of course, but it seems that if a guy watching a commercial who wants a DE and not a cart razor is going to hit a brick wall if he runs out to buy one, because nobody knows who's selling new DEs. I know it's all about money, but you'd think Merkur's distribution system would wake up and try to figure out how to get their razors into the hands of the potential new customers Barbasol is also shooting for. We don't have an AOS here.

Pureslab · Post by **Pureslab** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:14 am

Sure looks like an iKon razor being used.

gsgo · Post by **gsgo** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:28 am

From what I know following Barbasol this commercial has been out for close to a couple of years so in no way could it be a new marketing campaign, probably just resurfaced for advertising purposes.

I do agree with Gordon's take on the razor used and the tie in to a "good ol' fashioned" theme and shaving with Barbasol. The red and white striped can is a throwback to the old barber poles and plays on that classic theme.

GA Russell · Post by **GA Russell** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:49 am

I like the ad, but I don't like the angle he holds the razor!

jww · Post by **jww** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:19 am

GA Russell wrote:I like the ad, but I don't like the angle he holds the razor!

+1

I like the spot -- and the marketing catch-phrase - "Close shave, Barbasol" is actually pretty brilliant.