[/floatr]Boston Globe: Looking to clean up in Japan
...Gillette is stepping up its effort to win the hearts and chins of shavers in this island nation that has been one of the toughest markets in the world to crack. The stakes are high: Japan is the world's second largest economy after the United States. The wet shaving market in Japan currently is valued at $310 million, but some analysts say it has the potential to grow significantly...Japan also has been a tough market because a big segment of the population favors electric razors and other dry shavers. Japanese men often shower in the evening and shave the next morning. They shave less frequently than men in other parts of the world, according to Gillette's company research...When Gillette launches its Phantom razor in Japan this summer (a black and silver version of the Fusion), it will be the first time the company's ads feature local athletes and celebrities, such as famous DJ Chris Peppler and breast stroke gold medalist Kosuke Kitajima. And the razor won't be called Phantom, as it is in the rest of the world, because it didn't translate well here. For Japan, its name is Air...more...
