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King C. Gillette was granted a US patent for a \u201csafety razor\u201d on November 15th, 1904 - kickstarting both the disposable grooming industry, and the notorious \u2018razor and blades\u2019 business model.\nPrior to his invention, men who shaved at home would have to strop their blades on a big leather strap, and occasionally take their razors to a cutler to have them returned to their original sharpness.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Gillette savvily used Army contracts to establish his brand across America; reveal how scientists at MIT told him his product design was simply impossible; and recall how he exploited TV advertising to reframe the conversation around male grooming\u2026\xa0\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018The History of Gillette and Schick Razors\u2019 (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-razors-and-shaving-4070036\n\u2022 \u2018Gillette\u2019s Strange History with the Razor and Blade Strategy\u2019 (HBR, 2010): https://hbr.org/2010/09/gillettes-strange-history-with\n\u2022 \u2018Gillette: The Best A Man Can Get\u2019 (Gillette, 1989): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThDBf14qPsc\n\u2026 want even more?\nIn this week\u2019s bonus bit, exclusively for \U0001f334 CLUB RETROSPECTORS \U0001f334members, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Gillette\u2019s disposable razors came to be stacked within the very walls of houses across America; consider King Gillette\u2019s unexpected flirtation with Communism; and reveal how corporate competition from Wilkinson Sword demeaned Gillette\u2019s green credentials yet further\u2026 get this and exclusive Sunday episodes by joining \U0001f334 CLUB RETROSPECTORS \U0001f334 now!\n#Inventions #1900s \nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:\xa0podfollow.com/Retrospectors\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices