Today’s Question
What small-business owners think.
We recently published a small-business conversation with Michael Dubin in which he talked about how he had introduced his company, Dollar Shave Club, with a funny video that went viral — and how he was trying to build on the success of that video to create a full-fledged lifestyle brand.
Mr. Dubin, who used to perform improvisational comedy as a hobby and whose company now boasts some 200,000 active customers, has just released another video for another new product: hygienic wipes for men.
The video, which features the same off-color brand of humor as the original video, touts the benefits of using wipes in lieu of toilet paper. Offered under the name One Wipe Charlies, the flushable wipes are made with aloe and marshmallow herb and, like the razors Mr. Dubin introduced in his first video, they are being sold on a subscription basis (a pack of 40 for $4). The wipes are the fifth product offered by Dollar Shave, following three varieties of razor blades and a shave butter that has sold 20,000 units since its debut in April.
We spoke with Mr. Dubin, in a conversation that has been edited and condensed, about the thinking behind the new product and the new video.
Why wipes?
Because our research found that 51 percent of guys use butt wipes, but 24 percent of them are embarrassed and hide it from view. It’s a huge opportunity because toilet paper is a $9-billion industry compared to shaving, which is $6 billion. It’s also a bold statement that says Dollar Shave Club wants to service everything from your face to your …
Why did you wait so long to make another video?
The reason we held off was because no video could tell the story of Dollar Shave Club like that first one. I felt that launching anything else would become a distraction. But we have a bold multiproduct strategy, and we’re excited to have this video tout a useful product that makes your life better in the bathroom.
Are you watching the number of hits it generates?
We do have a traffic monitor set up, but it’s more about the product than the video.
Why did you decide to feature the wipes — instead of your other new products — in the video?
We wanted to make a bold statement. I think it’s important to let people know where we are headed, and the video is a great way to tell that story. We’re great at starting conversations, and I think we’re going to spark a national dialog about what’s going on in the bathroom and how to do it better.
Article source: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/can-a-shaving-company-produce-another-viral-video/?partner=rss&emc=rss
