My close shave with a disruptor

I’d been angry with myself for buying single use plastic disposable razor blades for quite a while. Then lockdown descended and it soon proved to be a blessing in disguise. I’d just reached the end of my tether. Personal grooming had dropped way down the list of my new priorities.

I just couldn’t bring myself to spend any more money on unrecyclable razors (I’m embarrassed I bought them for so long now).

My saviour in waiting was an online company called FFS. They’re actually five years old and have won numerous beauty awards. But they were still ‘new’ to me. I paid them an up front fee in return for a rose gold reusable metal razor and a pack of recyclable blades. It arrived inside a cleverly packaged box that I now save my old blades in and will return it via freepost for recycling once it’s full. 

Neat huh?

I’m also on a retainer with them paying £9 every once in a while in return for more blades and more boxes to return them in.

It was a beautiful moment when I emerged from the bathroom with cleanly shaven legs. My husband thought so too ;)

Then I started to wonder if the guys and girls at Gillette (the home of my previous razors) are kicking themselves yet? Or at least taking notice?

So I logged on to their site. And do you know what I found? Gillette also runs a subscription service.

So why on earth didn’t know about THAT?

In an ideal world Gillette SHOULD have been the ones to disrupt that story for me. That story of eco guilt vs guilt free.

And how many other women out there who feel like me? 

Change is coming

Bigger brands need to get better at disrupting the way their customers interact with their products and services. Putting purpose at the heart of everything they do. Disrupting the existing stories and making them better, greener and guilt-free for their customers.

Like politics, it feels like many large brands are out of touch with the people who should really matter to them.

Large organisations have more than enough resource to experiment with re-purposing (with an emphasis on purpose) their products and services. They just don’t have the will. Yet.

Yes, I could have happily signed up to a Gillette subscription. But like an elephant, I will never forget. FFS have well and truly earned my brand loyalty. If you’d like to know more about them you can visit their site here.

What about your organisation and its products and services? Are you disruptor or a dinosaur?

The time to choose is coming sooner than you think.

And it all starts with a re-think of what a brand actually is. Then you’re ready to identify your purpose and create a Brand New Story for your organisation. One that casts your customer as its hero, not your organisation.