When we say Norelco electric razors pop into mind. When we say electric razors, the name Norelco pops into mind. We think of Coke when someone says cola, we think of Ford when someone says trucks, we think of Folgers when someone says coffee. Every industry has that one brand that we always associate with the product itself. With electric shavers, it's Philips Norelco.
What is it that makes them such a popular brand, then, that they're almost synonymous with the product they create? Well, here's our theory on how they got there...
-Craftsmanship
Norelco electric razors are made to a pretty high standard of quality. You always hear old timers reminiscing on the good ol' days when consumer products were built to last. Sadly, they have a point there. In this fast paced global economy, it's more cost effective to hire some by-the-blueprint freelancer to design a product and then to farm the production out to a Korean factory for cheap. Charge the same as the more high-end companies do, and you make a nice profit. Norelco handles the design of their products in house, and they always craft them to the highest standards of excellence. This is because they don't just want to turn a profit, they want to earn loyal customers, which, in the end, is always better than a quick buck.
-Innovation
Norelco electric razors are always coming up with some new thing, like the Reflex Plus, with an unprecedented level of responsiveness, or the Speed XL Shaver, designed to give an incredibly quick shave by simply shaving more of your face at a time. This attitude comes from, again, Norelco's ambition to be on top. You can carve out a niche for yourself by turning out the same products year after year, but you don't rise to the top unless you're trying new things before anyone else does.
-Durability
Norelco shavers are an investment. You buy one, and it might last for years and years as long as you maintain it properly and keep it well stocked with fresh replacement heads. This of course goes back to craftsmanship. If you remember the Planned Obsolescence scandal of the 1980's, a bunch of car manufacturers got into trouble for building cars to break down after a couple years so that the driver would have to buy a new one. What they neglected to consider in coming up with this clever business strategy: Why the heck would you buy your new car from the guys making cars that are guaranteed to break down after just two years? Longevity in any industry always comes down to producing a reliable product.
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