Sometimes You Should Lose Your Head
2 Comments Published by Frank Lane November 8th, 2007 in Differentiation, Linkage, Naming, Near MissSeems to me that the new Remington Clean X-Change electric razor is failing to take advantage of its genuine differentiation as the first electric razor with a disposable, replaceable head. I just literally saw the commercial for the third time tonight and could barely remember the name long enough to write this post.
I am not commenting on whether the idea is a good one or not. In fact, I don’t know because I am not an electric user.
But I do know that the name and linkage is not as differentiating as the idea, and just does not do the idea justice. They try, with the mnemonic device of the man changing his head with one in the medicine cabinet, but there are so many other devices that could have been used that would have related more to the device itself losing its head. I could not help but think of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow for instance with the razor personified as the headless horseman, or something of the ilk. There is a world of difference to me between a razor with a replaceable head and a user with a medicine cabinet full of replaceable human heads.
What did you think? Did this idea work for you?
What bothered me more than the chosen devise is the fact that this significant differentiation gets so lost! Going for a “clever” or humorous approach does not seem to do justice to what I perceive as a significant breakthrough, as you suggest.
Maybe the better analogy would have been the fact that rather than ignoring the biggest drawback of an electric (blades get dull), now electric users can change blades like manual users.
Retaining the convenience of an electric.
Gaining the advantage of a hand razor.
Randy, welcome and thanks for your comment. Very good input.