Key points:
- Harry’s should be very careful with how it connects to its consumer base in terms of normative values. Doing so correctly will give it a boost that Gillette won’t realize, but doing so incompetently could spell disaster.
- Gillette’s self-curation/cultivated distinction better facilitates “grooming as theater.” As of late, Gillette seems to be marketing well in this regard.
- Harry’s may benefit from reducing liquid options to better align with its minimalist approach.
This is the first market culture analysis of (hopefully) many on this blog. The product market discussed is men’s shaving gear, and the two companies analyzed are Gillette and Harry’s. Per my method, an initial market culture theory was developed based on analysis of product reviews and comparisons on YouTube and other sources, as well as an exploration of product websites. My initial theory for the market culture of each company is as follows: Gillette preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Harry’s preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. The inherent paradox for Gillette revolves around its old name vs. innovation for modern men. The paradox for Harry’s contrasts value and minimalist quality with a niche following (i.e., its proposition would seem to appeal to men at large but likely does not).
Both companies’ recent ad campaigns are on track and generally in sync with my expectations. Gillette’s Best a Man Can Get is back to the basics and has moved on from the 2019 debacle of The Best Men Can Be. The GilletteLabs ads show a father-son duo (as expected) with appropriately corny humor. Harry’s Whole New Man ads are competent and well made. They connect with its quality-to-value nexus using a comedic tone. Interestingly, Harry’s recent ads are more theatrical than Gillette’s, though the opposite is expected. However, the overly cinematic nature of Harry’s Whole New Man ads is expressly meant to parody the over-promises of higher-priced brands. Therefore, to reiterate, both brands are overall on point in terms of ad campaigns.
Using the above theory as a model to acquire artificial intelligence-generated market simulations, the following three prompts were given to ChatGPT:
- Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to male facial grooming products.
- Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to products used for male facial appearance.
- Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to personal grooming products.
Alpha and Bravo were used for the purpose of abstraction, as well as the generalized descriptors of the products. Abstracting prompts (not using brand names or exact product types) helps control bias within ChatGPT’s training data while maximizing the probability that new perspectives will be gleaned. Caveats to the applicability of my analysis include the fact that no financials are considered, only cultural factors; the fact that only two competitors are analyzed; and the fact that my original theory was derived solely from male perspectives (so Gillette’s Venus and Harry’s Flamingo are excluded from this particular study).
Conclusions: For Gillette, the two concepts that jump out from the simulations are self-curation and cultivated distinction. The idea is that the consumer is taking something of legacy (though updated) and applying this product to their self-image. There are two components to this paradox: the old tradition and the modern innovation. The tradition speaks to reliability but also of “classic gentlemen and elite circles” in the words of AI. The modern innovation gives the man a sense of relevance and current connection, as well as any functional benefits that apply.
Another phrase used by the AI simulation is “grooming as theater.” Gillette may especially benefit from ad campaigns that show the father-teaching-son-to-shave routine or the shave-before-hanging-with-the-boys montage. The flip side of the coin is the idea of the old standby, or as the AI simulation states, “heritage,” “cultural memory,” and “elevated standards.” On a personal note, this is probably why I use Gillette: the idea that the longstanding legacy translates to better quality control. A man generally wants solid quality control for anything that might cut his face.
For Harry’s, the noticeable takeaway is the continued reference in the AI simulations to normative language such as “values,” “fairness,” “honesty,” and “integrity.” Granted, in my prompt, I used “standardized value,” though my intention was bang for buck. Interestingly, on Harry’s website, there is a page devoted to social causes (Social Mission under About), which, though directed primarily at men, is a mixed bag and targets various groups of people. Gillette has a similar page, Our Commitment under About, though it is narrower in scope. The AI simulations here suggest that Harry’s may get more use out of normative initiatives. Gillette should be wary of wading into social politics and should generally abstain. (Indeed, backlash around the ad “The Best Men Can Be” in 2019 was probably lesson enough.)
Beyond what ChatGPT may have read into my prompt, it may be that a more purist company like Harry’s can better utilize social messaging, provided Harry’s understands its consumer base. Getting its messaging wrong would quickly become a liability. Put another way, Harry’s may accept limiting its reach if in the process it increases brand loyalty through normative affinity. However, care must be taken because the value-to-values connection actually puts the onus on Harry’s to prove to the consumer that its priorities are in the right place. The fact that Harry’s may be able to more effectively allude to social norms is a two-edged sword: if they get the tone wrong, credibility is lost. Targeting men with social politics is a fraught enterprise after all. When in doubt, Harry’s should not engage.
Finally, it first appeared that Gillette and Harry’s had swapped roles when it comes to facial shaving creams, gels, and lotions, meaning Gillette offers few options and Harry’s offers many. On second glance, it is simply that Gillette doesn’t list all of these options on its website, but many liquid options are available for sale. Nevertheless, the simulations expect that Harry’s would offer few liquids. This would be implicit in “minimalist quality,” but all the same, Harry’s throwing all that liquid at men to see what sticks might be a losing strategy for a consumer base that expects a pared down approach.
As for Gillette, just please keep making Mach 3 cartridges for a lower price point. Thank you.
Read the AI simulations below if you are wondering what AI “thinks.” My prompts are bold and italics.
You said:
Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to male facial grooming products.
ChatGPT said:
Here’s a cultural analysis narrative of the fictional society with Subculture Alpha and Subculture Bravo, focusing on their relationship with male facial grooming products:
Cultural Analysis Narrative: Alpha & Bravo
In the fictional society of Kavaron, two dominant subcultures shape consumer identity and social meaning through their philosophies of preservation, building, and seeking. These orientations ripple through every aspect of daily life, from food to clothing to the intimate rituals of self-presentation. Among these, male facial grooming products—beard oils, shaving creams, aftershaves, and stylized trimmers—become subtle yet powerful cultural markers.
Subculture Alpha
Preserves: Old name quality
Seeks: Innovative tiered options
Builds: Sophisticated experience
Subculture Alpha is deeply rooted in heritage. Members of Alpha are connoisseurs who attach significance to legacy brands and the historical prestige of craft traditions. When it comes to male grooming, they lean toward products with long-standing reputations—companies that carry stories in their names. The pedigree of a brand is not merely a detail; it is the assurance of authenticity and excellence.
Yet Alpha does not stagnate in nostalgia. They seek innovation, but not in a chaotic or mass-market sense. Instead, they gravitate toward tiered options—lines of products that ascend in refinement and exclusivity. An Alpha-aligned grooming company might offer a base shaving kit for everyday use, a mid-tier line infused with rare botanicals, and an elite “reserve” tier packaged in hand-blown glass bottles with subtle fragrance layering.
The ritual of grooming for Alpha men becomes an aesthetic performance. Shaving cream is not just applied—it is lathered with a handcrafted badger-hair brush. Beard oil is selected to match the time of day or the formality of an event, much as one selects a wine. For them, grooming is a sophisticated experience, where tools and products embody both tradition and modern subtlety.
In broader cultural terms, Subculture Alpha positions male grooming as an act of self-curation, where the man demonstrates both respect for heritage and mastery of contemporary refinement.
Subculture Bravo
Preserves: Standardized value
Seeks: Minimalist quality
Builds: A niche following
Subculture Bravo contrasts sharply with Alpha’s heritage-and-refinement model. Bravo prizes functionality, accessibility, and shared standards. They believe grooming products should not be encumbered by layers of exclusivity or heritage prestige, but should instead offer dependable value across all contexts.
Their guiding principle is minimalist quality—simplicity without waste, clarity without indulgence. A Bravo-aligned grooming product is typically unscented or lightly fragranced, packaged in sleek, understated designs. Labels avoid ornamental fonts or gilded crests; instead, they feature transparent ingredient lists and clean typography. Bravo rejects the clutter of tiered options, instead providing a single, well-designed solution that claims to be enough for all.
Where Alpha cultivates prestige, Bravo builds community niches. Their grooming products appeal to those who wish to express belonging to a counter-mainstream circle—a group that resists consumer excess. A Bravo man’s shaving routine is not performance but ritual in restraint: one reliable razor, one durable brush, one bottle of oil that lasts a year. Online forums and small social circles flourish around the shared simplicity of these practices, creating a network of cultural solidarity.
For Subculture Bravo, male grooming is a statement of values over status. To use their products is to signal alignment with efficiency, subtlety, and a kind of moral resistance to Alpha’s tiered sophistication.
Comparative Reflection
While Alpha transforms grooming into a theatre of refinement and tiered indulgence, Bravo strips grooming down to an ethic of clarity and minimalist sufficiency. Both subcultures ascribe meaning not only to what is used, but to how the use itself positions the individual in society: Alpha men curate their image as stewards of heritage and sophistication, while Bravo men mark themselves as members of a lean, value-driven niche that resists ornamental excess.
In Kavaron, a man’s choice of beard oil, razor, or aftershave is never simply practical—it is a cultural declaration, one that reveals whether he aligns with the refined tiers of Alpha or the minimalist integrity of Bravo.
You said:
Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to products used for male facial appearance.
ChatGPT said:
Here’s a cultural analysis narrative expanding Alpha and Bravo’s philosophies into the domain of products used for male facial appearance—beyond grooming into skincare, cosmetics, and presentation tools.
Cultural Analysis Narrative: Alpha & Bravo
In the society of Velorian, personal appearance is not a trivial matter but a medium through which subcultures express their worldviews. Among men, the cultivation of facial appearance—through skincare, color correction, contouring, and subtle enhancements—has become a space where cultural lines are drawn. Two subcultures, Alpha and Bravo, interpret this domain through their core orientations of preservation, seeking, and building.
Subculture Alpha
Preserves: Old name quality
Seeks: Innovative tiered options
Builds: Sophisticated experience
For Subculture Alpha, facial appearance products must carry the authority of heritage. They gravitate toward luxury brands that have survived decades—names that echo prestige and craftsmanship. To Alpha men, these products are not just functional but artifacts of continuity, tied to the cultural memory of classic gentlemen and elite circles.
Yet Alpha is not stagnant. Their desire for innovative tiered options drives them toward layered product ecosystems. For example, an Alpha-aligned skincare line might offer a three-tier progression: a baseline cleanser and moisturizer; an advanced serum with rare extracts; and a prestige “reserve” line with experimental bioactive ingredients. The more one ascends the tiers, the more exclusive the packaging, application rituals, and even retail spaces become.
What Alpha builds is a sophisticated experience—one that turns facial appearance into a refined performance. Men in this subculture use products not simply to conceal blemishes but to sculpt an aura. A matte-finish moisturizer reduces shine under professional lighting; a tinted concealer subtly smooths imperfections before a social gala; a discreet bronzing powder adds dimension for a dignified profile in photographs. Alpha does not label these as “cosmetics” but as extensions of personal legacy and aesthetic mastery.
Thus, Alpha men project an image of cultivated distinction: a face that bears the imprint of both tradition and innovation, designed for admiration in both intimate and public spheres.
Subculture Bravo
Preserves: Standardized value
Seeks: Minimalist quality
Builds: A niche following
Bravo represents the countercurrent. Where Alpha clings to heritage prestige, Bravo clings to function and standardization. For them, male facial products must be reliable, affordable, and stripped of excess. They preserve the belief that appearance products should not multiply in tiers or inflate in complexity, but instead rest on core essentials that “just work.”
Their pursuit of minimalist quality leads to facial appearance products that embody simplicity and restraint. Bravo men might use a lightweight all-in-one moisturizer with SPF, a single neutral-toned concealer stick that doubles as an under-eye brightener, and perhaps a clear matte balm to reduce shine. Packaging is plain, compact, and recyclable—no embossed logos or ritualistic application steps.
Where Alpha builds sophistication, Bravo builds a niche following. Bravo men often find community in shared rejection of excess—small circles and online groups dedicated to product minimalism, often swapping tips on cutting routines down to three or fewer items. For them, facial appearance is not about projecting refinement but about authentic presence. A clean, natural, slightly rugged look signals integrity and functionality over polished perfection.
Bravo’s approach, therefore, presents the male face as uncomplicated, transparent, and grounded. Their products are not status markers but tools, shared among like-minded men who pride themselves on rejecting the prestige ladder of Alpha.
Comparative Reflection
The Alpha face is cultivated, layered, and steeped in tradition—each product a carefully chosen step in an aesthetic hierarchy that rewards refinement. The Bravo face is pared-down, functional, and democratic—each product an emblem of clarity and refusal to indulge in excess.
In Velorian, then, the question of how a man manages his facial appearance is never merely personal. It signals whether he belongs to the realm of prestige and tiered sophistication (Alpha) or to the domain of minimalist integrity and niche solidarity (Bravo).
You said:
Provide a cultural analysis narrative of two subcultures in a fictional society: subculture Alpha and subculture Bravo. Each subculture is characterized by what they preserve, seek, and build. Subculture Alpha preserves old name quality, builds sophisticated experience, and seeks innovative tiered options. Subculture Bravo preserves standardized value, builds a niche following, and seeks minimalist quality. Describe each subculture’s approach to personal grooming products.
ChatGPT said:
Here’s a cultural analysis narrative framing Alpha and Bravo through their approach to personal grooming products—not just facial appearance but the broader spectrum of how they care for and present the body:
Cultural Analysis Narrative: Alpha & Bravo
In the society of Dravona, personal grooming is more than maintenance—it is a symbolic practice that communicates values of identity, belonging, and aspiration. The products a man uses to wash, trim, scent, and prepare himself are read culturally as markers of his alignment with deeper subcultural logics. Within this landscape, two influential subcultures—Alpha and Bravo—take distinct paths shaped by what they preserve, what they seek, and what they build.
Subculture Alpha
Preserves: Old name quality
Seeks: Innovative tiered options
Builds: Sophisticated experience
Alpha embodies the ethos of prestige tradition infused with innovation. They preserve established names—heritage brands with historical gravitas. For Alpha men, using a grooming product from a centuries-old perfumery or a renowned barber’s lineage is an act of honoring continuity. Labels matter: they are signifiers of cultural memory and elevated standards.
Yet Alpha does not stop at preservation. Their pursuit of innovative tiered options leads them to embrace grooming as a system of escalating refinement. They rarely use “one-size-fits-all” products; instead, they invest in tiered lines that progress in exclusivity. For instance, a shaving routine might include:
Entry-tier cleansing products with natural oils.
Mid-tier serums or aftershaves enriched with bioengineered compounds for skin resilience.
High-tier limited-edition scents or tools packaged in artisan cases, often purchased as much for aesthetic value as practical use.
Alpha builds sophisticated experience around grooming: it is ritualized, immersive, and multi-sensory. A morning routine may involve warming scented towels, carefully timed product layering, and precision trimming tools designed with luxury finishes. Even storage—mahogany cases, marble countertops—becomes part of the curated grooming theater.
In cultural terms, Alpha aligns grooming with aesthetic mastery and social signaling. To be Alpha is to show the world not merely that you are clean and presentable, but that your presentation is orchestrated with legacy, refinement, and an awareness of innovation’s stratifications.
Subculture Bravo
Preserves: Standardized value
Seeks: Minimalist quality
Builds: A niche following
Bravo takes the opposite stance. Where Alpha revels in prestige and hierarchy, Bravo clings to function, clarity, and standardization. Their grooming products are chosen for efficiency and fairness rather than heritage or luxury. Bravo men gravitate toward products that “get the job done” without unnecessary complication.
Their pursuit of minimalist quality produces grooming practices marked by essentialism. A Bravo grooming shelf might contain:
A single all-purpose cleanser suitable for body, face, and hair.
A compact moisturizer with SPF that doubles as an aftershave balm.
A basic trimmer or razor with long-term durability, not frequent upgrades.
One fragrance—light, neutral, and consistently applied.
Rather than tiered escalation, Bravo values streamlined consistency. Packaging is plain, often eco-conscious, and free from ornamental branding. The fewer the steps, the purer the practice.
Bravo builds a niche following around this ethic. Communities of Bravo men form around the rejection of consumer excess, trading recommendations for the most efficient, multi-functional, or “honest” grooming products. For them, grooming is not a stage for heritage or luxury but a communal expression of restraint, sustainability, and authenticity.
In Bravo’s cultural logic, grooming is a quiet discipline: not about projecting refinement but about signaling practicality and alignment with values of simplicity and trust.
Comparative Reflection
The Alpha approach turns grooming into a cultivated ritual, steeped in history and tiered refinement—grooming as theater. The Bravo approach pares grooming down into a disciplined minimalism, resisting complexity and status markers—grooming as function.
Both subcultures thus transform personal grooming into a cultural act: Alpha communicates sophistication and heritage, while Bravo communicates integrity and efficiency. In Dravona, to examine a man’s grooming products is to read his allegiances—whether he belongs to the world of refined continuity and innovation (Alpha) or to the realm of minimalist clarity and niche solidarity (Bravo).