Gillette Declares “Shaving Rebuilt” with Launch of New Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall™ Technology

For years, Gillette has innovated constantly to raise the quality of razors to The Best A Man Can GetTM. Now Gillette® [NYSE: PG] is asking: Why the long face? What’s with the scrunching, the stretching, and the pulling? Should it really take a #shaveface to get extremely close?

With the launch of the new Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall™ Technology, Gillette introduces the first razor that moves to meet the contours of a man’s face – catching virtually every hair. (Photo: Business Wire)

Not anymore. While Gillette’s blades will remain straight and thin and sharp, the new Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall™ Technology is making its debut as the handle that moves, adjusts and pivots to meet a man’s face. It will change the face of shaving by allowing each cartridge to ride the facial contours for more constant contact before it to help get virtually every hair – a top shaving need cited by 8 out of 10 men.*

Truly a new dimension in maneuverability, FlexBall Technology builds on an innovation that Gillette brought to shaving in 1977 with the first ever razor pivot. Though only two-dimensional, that Atra pivot became the standard for all Gillette razors – and the category. FlexBall Technology now adds a crucial third dimension to match a man’s face which is decidedly 3D and hosts an average of 25,000 hairs to trim. The result is a greater range of motion for closer contact than previous Fusion products to get each of those hairs whether they’re growing over a rounded cheek or hugging the tricky topography of the chin. Gillette’s pre-release testing shows that current ProGlide users preferred the new shaving experience 2-to-1 over the standard Fusion ProGlide.

“For more than a century, since King C. Gillette introduced the very first safety razor in 1901, Gillette has revolutionized the way the world shaves, fusing state-of-the-art engineering with precision manufacturing,” said Patrice Louvet, group president of Global Grooming and Shave Care. “Gillette invented the original pivot, and with FlexBall Technology, we’ve once again changed the shaving experience. The Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology is truly shaving rebuilt to deliver the best a man can get.”

Key specifics of the all-new Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology include:

• A reimagined handle that gives the cartridge a fuller range of motion, responding to contours and maintaining close contact to get virtually every hair.
• More ergonomic grip for precise control.
• The same reliable cartridges fit the new handle and continue to feature: a precision-engineered array of five blades with thin and fine edges and an advanced, low-resistance coating for effortless cutting with less tug and pull than Fusion; comfort and performance details such as a lubrastrip to enable smooth movement over the skin even on repeat strokes and a blade stabilizer to maintain optimal spacing between the blades.

Interested consumers can go to www.gillette.com to pre-order the Fusion ProGlide with Flexball Technology today, and razors will begin to ship in the next few weeks. The product will be available in a broad range of traditional and online retail outlets in North America starting June 9th for a suggested retail price of $11.49. A power version rounds out the lineup at an SRP of $12.59.

The new razor was unveiled to media today at New York’s Highline Ballroom in an event celebrating Gillette’s history of innovation. Attendees were treated to an intimate look at the inspiration, design and R&D behind FlexBall Technology, while “Resurrection” star, Omar Epps brought the pivoting action to life through a live shave demonstration. Guests were also treated to a surprise performance from Phantogram, the Brooklyn-based indie-rock duo whose song “When I’m Small” has been featured in Gillette’s latest ad campaign.

To celebrate the launch of the Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology, Gillette will also be sharing some famous shave faces that will serve as a tribute to the need for maneuverability. Over the next six weeks, fans can follow Gillette on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gillette and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Gillette to guess some famous figures who will be revealing their shave face. Tennis fans were in for a treat today, as Gillette ambassador Roger Federer opened serve with his shave face. More will follow as Gillette hands each new player the new handle with technology that adjusts to meet his face.

Gillette has pioneered shaving innovation for more than 100 years and FlexBall Technology is just the latest example, joining Gillette Body, the brand’s first razor built for the terrain of a man’s body, announced this spring and Fusion ProGlide Styler, a 3-in-1 facial styling tool launched in 2012. In addition, the brand’s recent roll-out of a blade subscription program at www.gillette.com allows guys to subscribe online to receive cartridges for Gillette’s best shave for only about $1 a week.**

In addition to pre-ordering today, those eager to try the new the new Fusion ProGlide with Flexball Technology in the coming weeks should be on the lookout for a six-city “Shaving Rebuilt” tour starting on May 12 and continuing through June 9 when wide in-store availability begins. Gillette will be visiting barbershops in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco, giving select men a chance to try the latest and greatest before it hits shelves. Additional details can be found on Gillette’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Gillette.

About Gillette

For over 110 years, Gillette has delivered precision technology and unrivaled product performance – improving the lives of over 800 million men around the world. From shaving and body grooming, to skin care and sweat protection, Gillette offers a wide variety of products including razors, shave prep (gels, foams and creams), skin care, after shaves, antiperspirants, deodorants and body wash. For more information and the latest news on Gillette, visit http://www.gillette.com/. To see our full selection of products, visit http://www.gillette.com/en/us/shop-now.aspx.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

* Among Fusion users
** Based on four shaves per week over average cartridge use and AC Nielsen FDMX pricing

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140429006363/en/