Introducing the Azor. prepare to shave closer, longer, for less. by will king

Introducing the Azor. prepare to shave closer, longer, for less. by will king

Late 2002: With King of Shaves shaving software growing strongly, I turn my thinking to hardware. Originally, I wanted to study as a yacht designer, but ended up doing a degree in engineering at Portsmouth Polytechnic. Finally, I have a chance to design and manufacture a system razor, and start looking at why Gillette is so dominant in the razor market, and wonder if I can t inject some style and simplicity into the act of shaving. I do some patent investigation and realise some key patents (filed in 1984) will be off in a couple of years time. I start blogging about my dissatisfaction with many elements of shaving, including performance, packaging and price. This continues to this day at www.shave.com/blogs/king/

January 2003: Brushing my teeth one day with a bendy head toothbrush, I wonder if the hinge for the razor could be constructed out of rubber and thus actually push the blades closer to the skin for a closer shave. I sketch out what I think our toothbrush technology King of Shaves razor might look like. I also come up with the idea for curved razor blades. June 2003: With a couple of in-house designers, Charlie and James, we create the distinctive look for the razor, a hybrid of elegant piano tuning fork and the elation with arms outstretched that makes the razor look visibly different from the competition. August 2003: The first prototype King of Blades razor is made. It looks the part, but the open architecture blade technology is still being addressed. Most razor blades are stacked on top of each other, which means they clog with stubble and shave poorly. We try to start discussions with potential technology partners to overcome this problem, with our very own open architecture (read nonclogging) cartridge.

December 2003 February 2004: I show the prototype to four potential razor and blade (R&B) technology partners, who decline to be involved with the project. April 2004 October 2006: I continue working on the concept, look, design, feel and launch strategy for the razor, based on reading about Sun Tzu, and how we would launch the razor in the face of global competitors such as Gillette and Schick Wilkinson-Sword. I write a huge amount to myself about how to zag whilst our competitors zig, and how we have to make-up (and play by) our own rules. In September 2005, KMI is approached by a New York investment bank on behalf of a big R&B client with a view to buying King of Shaves, but we decline! November 2006: We finally get traction with an OA (Open Architecture) blade technology partner, and I shave with the first open architecture razor blade other than Gillette (which has by now been bought for $57Bn, 27 x earnings by P&G). I meet with Miss B, an ex-gillette and P&G senior executive and hire her for a year to work with me on developing and finessing our launch strategy which includes War Gaming... April 2007: The final prototype cartridges (the engine) are delivered to KMI, and I start work on the actual handle (car chassis) working on resolving design and tooling / engineering issues with Design Engineer, Andy Honour. August 2007 November 2007: A huge amount of time is spent on designing a sophisticated tool which will allow us to make the world s first one-piece, Polyastomer Hybrid Synergy system razor. Hybrid means taking the best of system razor manufacture and the best of disposable razor manufacture into one elegant, light and stylish handle. November 2007: I hire the screening room at the Soho Hotel to present the King of Shaves razor to KMI staff and shareholders. Later that month we have our first retailer presentation they love it (even say so to camera thanks NC )! We start to select our agencies including The Communications Store (product PR), MacLaurin Associates (corporate PR) and 3 Green Lights to launch the razor, and come up with an Election Campaign strategy we re going to be reducing stealth shaving taxes, be tough on stubble, and the causes of stubble we will have a campaign BattleBus and everything! This man, and this project, is not for turning!

January 2008: I enjoy the first ever pure-play King of Shaves, with what has now been code-named Tomahawk. We also apply for trademark registration for a number of names, including Hybrid Synergy Shave, Platanium, irazor amongst others. KMI already own King of Blades and Endurium which is the trademark for our proprietary lasts longer blade coating. We settle on the name Azor for our new system razor. We work with two local British companies on both the tool design / manufacture, as well as the making of the Azor itself. Both are within a few minutes walk of our HQ in Chesham. Since the decimation of British manufacturing in the 1980s, I ve been keen to make a Great British Product and now have the chance to do this. March 2008: We decide to launch the Azor in two style variants, Pola and Warp (white and black). We start to evolve our Swatch the razor limited edition colour collection strategy. All major retailers sign up to launch the Azor, with product scheduled to hit the shelves from June. April 2008: Whilst enjoying a pint at my local pub I get talking to Sam Clark, a talented skydiver, and he asks if he could do a skyshave with the Azor. This is then shot in May at a secret location in Spain. I start up a highly targeted marketing campaign called Slingshot on Facebook serving up 75m advert impressions to men, and pay for it on my Visa card! Zag... remember...? We also commission Made up Media to create an emag called K.O. (King Of) to live at www.kingofmags.com to provide fun, humour and essential interaction with our consumers. May 2008: I do interviews with all the long-lead men s magazines and the reaction to our shaving simplicity and shave closer, longer, for less message is extremely positive. I also find out that one of my staff members is a talented musician and he s written lyrics for a single, John Tracy, which we decide to use at the launch. Beanius is formed (www.myspace.com/beaniusband). We plan to introduce the Azor to the world at the stylish Hempel Hotel in London. June 17th 2008: The first new British razor brand in over 100 years makes its debut to the press and key industry figures. The story now really begins...

The King of Shaves Azor Less is Mor Striving to be the King of Blades. Starting point? Shaving Simplicity. In January 2003, I started sketching out my thinking for the King of Blades razor which has evolved into the King of Shaves Azor. The world s first hybrid synergy system razor. A razor that shaves closer, lasts longer and costs less. The finished item looks simple. In reality, there is a huge amount of design time and complex engineering, which delivers a purity of form, an effortless of function and an overall effect that is as pleasing on the eye, as it is on the shaved skin. I ve shaved with it in prototype form since November 2006, and in finished form since April 2008. And I m delighted with it. Listed out below and overleaf are the reasons I feel it is truly better than the other razors out there, and I hope you agree. After all, with the King of Blades name to live up to, best it delivers the King of Shaves! Will King Founder, King of Shaves. Designer, the Azor. Good design is innovative: The King of Shaves Azor embraces simplicity, form and function in a brand new way. Cost effective to manufacture, it uses an appealing Eureka tuning fork design, which allowed us to incorporate the TST (Touch Skin Technology) Living Hinge which firmly (yet comfortably) presses the Endurium coated, ultra sharp long life blades onto the skin to deliver a superlative shave. Good design makes a product useful: When you look at the current system and disposable razors on the market, they are massively over-engineered, clunky in design and aesthetics, difficult and complex to manufacture, and have evolved layer upon layer. The Azor strips away the unnecessary, to return the razor to a purity rarely seen in industrial design. The Azor is easy to use and its ease is a function of its simplicity.

Good design is aesthetic: The design of the Azor was heavily influenced through my desire to be a yacht designer, from my time spent at University following an engineering degree and through the products that surround my life, including what I term idesign. Almost everyone who picks up the Azor comments on its beauty and simplicity, which is hugely rewarding for me. Good design helps us to understand a product: It s a razor. Shave with it. It s not a mult-vibrational, over-engineered, crassly packaged razor. It brings the best of the disposable together with the best of a system razor. Hybrid Synergy System was a phrase which summed everything about it up to a T. Good design is unobtrusive: The razor design is as absolutely minimal as we could make it. The secondary packaging (100% recyclable both card and plastic) is as lean as we could make it. There is very little, if anything, I intend to ever change about the design fundamentals. Good design is honest: What you see is what you get. A razor, with super long lasting (Endurium coated) cartridges which allows you to shave closer, for longer, for less. Good design is durable: In normal everyday use, the Azor will last forever. The TST mechanism has been flexed over one million times. The polypropylene and elastomer twin shot handle should never fail. In short, it s a razor, forever. But without the cost. Good design is consequent to the last detail: The simplicity of design of the Azor covers up the huge amount of engineering detail in it. It looks simple. But in execution, in product (and tooling) design it was devilishly difficult. James Dyson would be proud. Good design is concerned with the environment: This was almost the starting point for the Azor. Take away the unnecessary over designed secondary packaging, remove the complexity of the handle componentry, redesign the razor to suit the environmental aesthetic of the 21st Century and ensure the manufacturability of the product is as sympathetic to the environment as possible, from its carbon footprint to its impact on the earth once (finally) disposed of. I am delighted with the environmental credentials of the Azor. Good design is as little design as possible: Less is Mor. Shaving Simplicity. Our watchwords. Your guarantee. Little, that delivers a lot! Important: Enjoy!

Wilkinette have a brilliant future behind them Tony King (my Dad) More information at www.shave.com/azor THE KING OF SHAVES COMPANY, KMI HARDWARE, 17-19 Chiltern Court, Asheridge Road, Chesham, Bucks HP5 2PX, UK. Tel +44 (0) 1494 783066 Fax +44 (0) 1494 783088 Email info@shave.com Web www.shave.com AND TM DENOTE TRADEMARKS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1993-2008 KMIH. K2263 WEB VERSION. E&OE