Shave time. Shave Money.
March 8, 2012 7:44 AM   Subscribe

 
I saw this on the VideoSift the other day, and it cracked me the hell up. I actually re-shared a commercial to my FB profile. That's how good I think it was.
posted by lazaruslong at 7:49 AM on March 8, 2012


Not every CEO is cut out for making Funny or Die quality sketch-like ads, obviously. When he was living in New York, Michael Dubin took classes at beloved comedy training grounds, the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre, and has long dabbled in funny business.

I think this has a lot to do with why it worked.
posted by lazaruslong at 7:50 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


It's really good. Waiting to see [the myriad of] similar entries that will soon flood the tubes.
posted by jsavimbi at 7:50 AM on March 8, 2012


$1 a month for blades sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
posted by jquinby at 7:53 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


I think this has a lot to do with why it worked.

Also, Alejandra makes a really good straight (wo)man.
posted by R. Schlock at 7:54 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


(Plus $2 shipping)
posted by 2bucksplus at 7:54 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


"Your handsome-ass grandfather had one blade. And polio."

Funny, and a great business model, too. I'm signing up as soon as I run out of vibrating, flashlit, 10 blade razors.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:55 AM on March 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


I don't understand; why do all their "blades" have plastic sticks attached to them?
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 7:55 AM on March 8, 2012 [3 favorites]


Mister Nice, out of curiosity, how did you come across this ad? Sorry if I've gotten the wrong idea, but your commenting history is 5 "." posts in old obituary threads, all this morning.
posted by the jam at 7:55 AM on March 8, 2012 [22 favorites]


It was actually a lot funnier then I was expecting.

Also, it's a really good idea. I'm sure those razors at the store are way over priced.

Mister Nice, out of curiosity, how did you come across this ad? Sorry if I've gotten the wrong idea, but your commenting history is 5 "." posts in old obituary threads, all this morning.
Dunt. Dunt. Dunnn.....
posted by delmoi at 7:57 AM on March 8, 2012 [6 favorites]


I was prepared to hate this and compare it unfavorably to the Old Spice commercials but it slowly began to win me over and when it hit the machette and giant bear I was a convert.

On preview, shame if it's a self-link.
posted by nathancaswell at 7:57 AM on March 8, 2012


Oh and they're all .'s too... FROWNIE FACE
posted by nathancaswell at 7:58 AM on March 8, 2012


Hey the jam, not that this is couldn't possibly be spammy, but this ad has been burning up my facebook feed all morning. It's quite likely this is just a sure-fire FPP for an inexperienced member.
posted by R. Schlock at 7:58 AM on March 8, 2012 [10 favorites]


That's all lovely, but what's with the leaf-blower at the end?
posted by DaveChild at 7:59 AM on March 8, 2012


If I hadn't already switched over to DE razors (blades are like 10¢ and sometimes less, and nicer to my sensitive skin), I'd be all over this. Pretty awesome commercial.
posted by crasiman at 8:05 AM on March 8, 2012


I'm keeping this thread window open until I see some resolution to the self-link controversy.

In the meantime, here are some other videos by the director.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:07 AM on March 8, 2012


That's all lovely, but what's with the leaf-blower at the end?

He's showing how all that money gets swirling through the air.
posted by leftcoastbob at 8:09 AM on March 8, 2012


That was a pretty funny ad, but....why not just buy a bag of disposable razors? That's what I did (before the beard) and it costs a lot less than $1/blade + shipping.
posted by DU at 8:10 AM on March 8, 2012


You could argue that disposable razors are terrible quality, but we don't know what his quality really is. Plus just use the disposables fewer times if they don't last a month. I used each for a week and STILL saved money over this scheme.
posted by DU at 8:12 AM on March 8, 2012


Came here to bitch about the ad. Left laughing at that awesome ad. Strong work, funny-guy CEO.
posted by Phredward at 8:12 AM on March 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


Mister Nice here. In answer to jam above, I have to plead inexperience and a little overeagerness in my first post. I make commercials for a living and it is was just nice to discover a really good one that was done so simply and inexpensively.
posted by mister nice at 8:14 AM on March 8, 2012 [11 favorites]


mister nice also has some history on AskMe, folks. A year ago.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:15 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


DU: "Plus just use the disposables fewer times if they don't last a month. I used each for a week and STILL saved money over this scheme."

It looks like it is 5 twin blades per month for $3, including S&H, or 4 "quattro" blades for $6. That's hard to beat without going to double-edged.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:18 AM on March 8, 2012


Mister Nice here. In answer to jam above, I have to plead inexperience and a little overeagerness in my first post. I make commercials for a living and it is was just nice to discover a really good one that was done so simply and inexpensively.

HOW DARE YOU POST SOMETHING WITHOUT A WELL DEFINED POSTING HISTORY! YOU CAN'T JUST ... START. WE SHOULD OBVIOUSLY ACCUSE YOU OF CHEATING.

No, seriously, good post. I saw this commercial yesterday and really liked it.
posted by kbanas at 8:22 AM on March 8, 2012 [8 favorites]


You could argue that disposable razors are terrible quality, but we don't know what his quality really is

Did you not watch the ad? His blades ARE FUCKING GREAT.
posted by Rangeboy at 8:25 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


The LA Times has an article about the VC startup money DSC has.

To echo above, neat idea but I'm a DE safety razor user.
posted by fijiwriter at 8:25 AM on March 8, 2012


I don't want to be That Guy, but an old-fashioned safety razor was a good investment, and I now pay about $2 per month on blades, tops. Using a brush and hard soap was also a great investment: the brush was expensive to buy, but a $5 disc of shaving soap has lasted me longer than 18 months now, and smells *great*.
posted by Shepherd at 8:25 AM on March 8, 2012 [9 favorites]


I don't want to be That Guy, but an old-fashioned safety razor was a good investment, and I now pay about $2 per month on blades, tops. Using a brush and hard soap was also a great investment: the brush was expensive to buy, but a $5 disc of shaving soap has lasted me longer than 18 months now, and smells *great*.


...runs away to find someone else to talk to at the drinks party:)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 8:31 AM on March 8, 2012 [5 favorites]


Oh yeah? Well, I just grew a beard.

Just now.

30 seconds INTENSE CONCENTRATION and foom, I have a Bruin-in-the-playoffs quality beard.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:33 AM on March 8, 2012 [4 favorites]


Exactly. Beard afficionados save $12 a year, plus (n * growth_rate) early-morning hours that we would rather spend snoozing. Plus, we can still enjoy this great advert!

We...we can still enjoy this great advert, right?
posted by omnikron at 8:35 AM on March 8, 2012


HUSBAND! GO YE AND PURCHASE THESE RAZORS!
posted by Madamina at 8:47 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


My strategy is to lower my testosterone level by not eating meat so that my beard grows very slowly and I only need to shave once a week, tops.
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 8:48 AM on March 8, 2012


It was something of a revelation for me when I realized that rather than spending $18 for razor blades, I could just buy a bag of disposables for $1.75, and I've been using them for a couple of years, now. The problem with them is every once in a while I'll get a razor that attacks my face like a cheese grater...slices off just enough skin to bleed, but not enough to hurt while you're using it. I can't count the number of times I've finished shaving only to watch my face resolve into a bloody mess.

I shared this commercial with friends yesterday. It's brilliant...and it completely hit me at the right time. I am now a Dollar Shave Club member!
posted by zylocomotion at 8:51 AM on March 8, 2012


omnikron, as a fellow beard afficionado, my formula would look a bit different.

$12 - ($40 / # of years of service of trimmer) and (n * growth_rate) - (5 minutes every 2 weeks) to account for trim.

I've used your formula before but got tired of people calling me Grizzly Adams or reenacting that old "I'M KENNY ROGERS!" skit from MAD TV.
posted by pianoblack at 8:52 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


I signed up for this too, after seeing the ad video the other day on Facebook. Years ago I became user of Gilette's "Sensor 3" razors. Since then, they've come out with all kinds of bizarre 4 and 5 blade cartridges that cost an insane amount of money. I tried them once - somehow they actually sent me a free "Fusion" handle and a couple blades in the mail. I didn't like it. The blade head is too big and bulky to get a good shave of my upper lip, for one thing. And the price just seems outrageous, for not enough improvement over the Sensor 3.

Sometime last year, it started becoming impossible to find Sensor 3 refills stocked in local stores. My choices were drop back to the older 2-blade Sensor, spend more for the disliked newer models, or buy the disposable Sensor 3's that come with "disposable" plastic handles. Well, I went with the latter option, but I'm not happy about it - I don't like tossing the excess plastic out. And as a result, like the guy in the ad says, I use them longer than I should.

So I signed up for this immediately. I'm hoping it works out well. They don't have a 3-blade option, so I went with the 2-blade one as being the closest to what I know I like. And I've had several friends tell me they're eager to hear my reaction when I get the new blades - they''re hoping it turns out to be good so they can sign up themselves.
posted by dnash at 9:01 AM on March 8, 2012


A bit about the business model in general. This "subscription" service is becoming more and more common. Among Online Entrepreneurs, Subscriptions Are All the Rage
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:05 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


I like how the toddler looks completely out of it.
posted by aerotive at 9:08 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's only a matter of time before Amway buys out these subscription services.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 9:18 AM on March 8, 2012


I'm a DE razor guy and I signed up anyway. Sometimes you want a "modern" razor for touch-ups.
posted by mrbill at 9:19 AM on March 8, 2012


dnash - you can buy the Sensor 3's at Costco. $25 gets you 2 years worth.
posted by photoslob at 9:23 AM on March 8, 2012


It's all about the annuity stream, whether it's razor blades, printer ink, or cell phones.

Great ad. I wonder how many takes they had to ditch because the guy in the bear suit actually caught the package?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:26 AM on March 8, 2012


I find I can keep my spending on razors down by (1) only shaving twice a week, (2) having a winter beard, and (3) not caring about a few nicks or the closeness of the shave.

Sadly, for many guys, I assume their hygiene and aesthetic standards, girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse's preferences, or job may conspire to make points #1 and #3 unrealistic, but I strongly recommend #2. You get a warmer face during the colder months, save time and money on your shaving during that time, and get to vary your appearance up, which is fun.

Also, if you shave it off for after St. Patrick's Day like I do, you can dye it greeny and get free drinks at bars.
posted by Aizkolari at 9:32 AM on March 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


You need this and this, no plastic to throw out and refills are cheap if you buy from the right places (corner shops in the developing world sell a pack of 10 blades for less than a buck, that's 20 blades as you only use half at a time).

No need for soap, just wet yourself down. The bare blade gives the closest shave you'll ever have.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:32 AM on March 8, 2012


Did you not watch the ad? His blades ARE FUCKING GREAT.

If you are going to use "fucking" and "blade" in a sentence, you'd better be able to shave a balloon without popping it before I am letting you near me.....
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:37 AM on March 8, 2012


I'm trying to think of a way to put in another shout-out for safety razors and double-edged blades that doesn't make me sound all "I was into cheap shaving before dollar shave club took it mainstream" but I can't. Anyway, everyone knows that for a truly authentic shave one must first master the art of flintknapping.
posted by usonian at 9:46 AM on March 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


Having a goatee means my razor already last twice as long (and I've started buying the upmarkety disposables because while they might not be fucking great they are good enough and you don't need a second mortgage to buy them)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:47 AM on March 8, 2012


Yeah, I switched to safety razors a few years ago and love them, but I’d sign up in a minute otherwise. It wasn’t the cost, it was the "what fucking razor do I use!" and having a drawer full of handles and blades that don’t match. Once I tried the old fashioned and realized you didn’t have to scrape half your face off when you shaved I was hooked.
posted by bongo_x at 9:50 AM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


The first time I saw this I thought for sure it was fake. Too clever, too funny. Is there a point at which being clever/funny starts to hurt sales instead of help?
posted by howling fantods at 9:54 AM on March 8, 2012


When he was living in New York, Michael Dubin took classes at beloved comedy training grounds, the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre, and has long dabbled in funny business.

Either that, or he's been watching It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia religiously and is angling to be the next Dennis Reynolds. If you told me this guy was Glenn Howerton's fraternal twin I wouldn't be surprised one bit.
posted by komara at 10:01 AM on March 8, 2012


Exactly. Beard afficionados save $12 a year, plus (n * growth_rate) early-morning hours that we would rather spend snoozing. Plus, we can still enjoy this great advert!

Yes, but the ladies won't love you.
posted by Rangeboy at 10:17 AM on March 8, 2012


As someone who will happily use the same triple bladed razor head for 3-6 months, I'm wondering how i sign up for the $1 a year plan.
posted by Jerub at 10:19 AM on March 8, 2012 [3 favorites]


To all the haters:

GROW A BEARD!

That is all . . . .
posted by birdhaus at 10:19 AM on March 8, 2012


I gotta say, I think my favorite bit of this whole thing is Alejandra starting to laugh as she's pulled off frame in the wagon.
posted by jquinby at 10:25 AM on March 8, 2012 [3 favorites]


Anyway, everyone knows that for a truly authentic shave one must first master the art of flintknapping.
Oh wow, that's the best idea for a weekend project that I've heard in months. And I do know a guy who can knap flint and owes me a favour. Genius.

If it goes a bit wrong and you hear on the news about a guy found half-decapitated, clutching a pointy rock and grinning, I want a "Metafilter's own..." obit post.
posted by metaBugs at 10:27 AM on March 8, 2012 [3 favorites]


fuck getting any kind of sharp metal near my face
posted by narcoleptic at 11:10 AM on March 8, 2012


I love this ad, but I always figured that if I had such a handsome-ass grandfather, and his single blade worked for him, then that's the strategy I should use, and it's worked out great. Disposable safety razor blades all the way!
posted by deanc at 11:22 AM on March 8, 2012


Anyway, everyone knows that for a truly authentic shave one must first master the art of flintknapping.

Pshaw. "Using a blade at all smacks of Oscar Wilde on poppers levels of limp-wristedness."
posted by jedicus at 11:23 AM on March 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


Great ad, but these razors are wildly overpriced. And you folks getting big bargain bags of disposables are also getting ripped off. I know this is old fashioned, but it worked for our ancestors: I knap my own flint and shave with river water. Sure, when you're starting out (the first couple of years), you will have a few cuts and scratches, but in the end, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're not another sucker for the razor-industrial complex.
posted by Edgewise at 11:36 AM on March 8, 2012 [5 favorites]


Shave? Pfft.

I use a gas-powered belt sander with 60 grit paper. For touch up work, some steel wool, attached to 120 volt ac power.

For haircuts, I use a rabid wolverine attached to a broom handle.
posted by Xoebe at 11:41 AM on March 8, 2012 [11 favorites]


I can't believe you buy brooms.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:39 PM on March 8, 2012 [3 favorites]


I lean my face against a tree and wait.
posted by jquinby at 12:52 PM on March 8, 2012 [9 favorites]


I can't count the number of times I've finished shaving only to watch my face resolve into a bloody mess.--zylocomotion

I make it a practice to avoid, if possible, anything that results in my blood not staying safely inside my body. Every time I tried a razor I ended up bleeding. I'm sure, somehow, I was doing it wrong. Nevertheless I went electric and never went back.
posted by eye of newt at 12:56 PM on March 8, 2012


I think this is brilliant (both the ad and the less-expensive razor option.)

Disposable razors suck because almost all of them are designed in a way that makes it hard to wash the accumulated hair out of the blades. In the pictures for these blades you can see that there is no piece of plastic on the back of the blades, so you can run water between the blades and force the accumulated hair to wash out, which is much better. Also, disposable razors feel really wasteful, especially anything beyond the ultra-cheap ones that use very little plastic in the handles.
posted by needs more cowbell at 1:29 PM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


Every time I tried a razor I ended up bleeding. I'm sure, somehow, I was doing it wrong. Nevertheless I went electric and never went back.

This seems to be a biological thing, although I’m told that either blades or electrics will work if you give your skin time to get used to it. I’ve had several electrics that have died from neglect because they were great at destroying my skin, but not so good at actually giving me a close shave. And it took way longer.
posted by bongo_x at 1:32 PM on March 8, 2012


My experience has been that you don't get as close a shave with electrics, but that it's much faster. However, I'm a lady (well, a woman. well, female, at least), so I may be covering different real estate.
posted by maryr at 1:53 PM on March 8, 2012


I burn the hair off my face with the pure power of my wrath!
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:32 PM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


Their $1/month (+ $2 s&h) shaver basically looks exactly like the profile of a Shick Slim Twin, the model of shaver which I've been shaving with since I won a dozen free ones in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and that was 22 years ago. I never, ever have problems with them. On occasion I've had to shave with the cheapest single blade Bic, and those are hellish butcher blades for me. On occasion I've had to shave with a 5-blade monstrosity, and it's insane overkill and misses spots my Slim Twin has no problem getting to. they give me a great shave, and each shaver lasts an insane length of time if you follow a few simple rules:
  • shave at the end of a hot shower, preferably in the shower
  • rinse the shaver out well after you are done
  • store the shaver in a way that it can dry out. I use a shaver hook that suction cups to the shower wall.
Using this method I probably go 8-10 weeks on a single shaver, and I buy 10-packs of Slim Twins for less than $10. Sorry Dollar Shave Club, your ad is funny, but you just aren't selling anything I need.
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:32 PM on March 8, 2012


Sorry Dollar Shave Club, your ad is funny, but you just aren't selling anything I need.

I had to admit, the ad made me wonder how often people change their razor blades. I change mine when they're so dull I need to drag it across my face a couple of times to get a close shave. Do people really go through 3 cartridges a month, changing them almost once a week?
posted by deanc at 2:55 PM on March 8, 2012


When I still used a cartridge razor I did the same change-it-when-it-feels-like-it's-trying-to-kill-you thing. Now that I use a safety razor and the blades are super cheap and I change them every week, it makes me think that if I were still using a cartridge razor I would definitely want to change it more frequently (weekly, if I could afford it). The difference between a new blade and and old blade, even a slightly old blade, is for me at least, is like night and day. When I was changing so infrequently I think I was chalking that difference up to the old cartridge being completely worn out, rather than the pretty rapid decline in shave quality with use.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:00 PM on March 8, 2012


I shave about six times with a single blade. I shave every other day. I use roughly 2.5 blades per month. Each blade costs about twenty cents. I'm running $.50/mo. on shaving costs. (Probably about $.55 if we spread out the shaving soap.)
posted by sonic meat machine at 5:13 PM on March 8, 2012


Hand sanitizer, cigarette lighter. Five bucks a year.
posted by tivalasvegas at 5:48 PM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


After I've showered, soaped up my face with the brush and whatnot and broken out a fresh razor, you can actually hear the blade cutting through my beard from the next room. So yeah, my razors get dull fast and I throw them out about every other shave. Sometimes they are uncomfortable by the end of a shave. If I did subscribe to something like this I'd be asking how to double up on cartridges.

You can also hear my fingernails being cut from outside my apartment. My wife jokes that I need a farrier. Maybe I'm getting too much iron or something.
posted by BrotherCaine at 6:22 PM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


Q: Are you Wolverine?
posted by shakespeherian at 6:23 PM on March 8, 2012


OK, I was exaggerating about the fingernails.
posted by BrotherCaine at 6:30 PM on March 8, 2012


My experience has been that you don't get as close a shave with electrics, but that it's much faster. --maryr

Back when I was trying blades, they definitely gave me a closer shave. Since I was cutting myself, maybe it was too close. I can get pretty close with the electric by shaving once dry, then once again in the shower after soaping up my face (you need a waterproof rechargeable electric razor to do this).
posted by eye of newt at 9:11 PM on March 8, 2012


I signed up, at least partially because the commercial was so entertaining. But Costco sells 52-packs of Gillette good news razors for less than the yearly cost of the "dollar" razor.
posted by timelord at 12:42 AM on March 9, 2012


This is going straight into my "advertising to Internet audiences" seminar.
posted by running order squabble fest at 2:48 AM on March 9, 2012


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