RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
Here’s an update on the razor wars. Razor makers went from a single blade to two, then Gillette produced a razor with three blades. Schick responded with four, and in 2004, the satirical newspaper, the Onion, mockingly predicted that Gillette would strike back with five.
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
White Gillette has now done for real.
Its five-blade Fusion Razor was advertised at the Super Bowl. So, I went a couple of days without shaving, and then sat down to shave half my face with the five blade razor, and half with four.
We got Gillette’s Vice President of External Relations, Eric Krauss, on the line, to see how it went.
Mr. ERIC KRAUSS (Vice President of External Relations, Gillette): It’s no science that if you add a blade, you’re going to get a closer shave. But what you also get is a significant amount of irritation, and…
INSKEEP: Let me just check, let me just check your statement there. You said that it’s no science that if you add a blade, you’re going to get a closer shave, by which you mean…
Mr. KRAUSS: Right. But that’s not the beauty.
INSKEEP: But, but, but I think that…
Mr. KRAUSS: That’s not the beauty.
INSKEEP: …some experts are suggesting that there is no science that an extra blade would be a closer shave. I mean, if you…
Mr. KRAUSS: Well, I would, I, you know, as I said, we test our products among hundreds and even thousands of men.
INSKEEP: I’ve got some shaving cream here, if you’ll pardon me, I’ll just…
Mr. KRAUSS: And which side of your face are you going to shave with the Fusion?
INSKEEP: That’s a difficult choice. I’ll leave that up to you.
Mr. KRAUSS: Okay, why don’t we go left side with Fusion.
INSKEEP: Some kind of communist or something like that?
Mr. KRAUSS: No. No, just, you gave me the option, and let’s go with the left side.
Of course, satire outpaces reality...
(thanks to tip from commenter enslaved)