DTC razor brand Harry's strikes retail deal with Boots
Digital direct-to-consumer (DTC) razor brand Harry's is moving into the offline retail space, striking a deal with Boots that will see its products sold in 300 UK stores.
Harry's will be hoping the Boots partnership expands its UK market share / Harry's
The move marks the first major high-street play from the business, which until now had only been available to customers who ordered online. The Boots deal will let Harry's physically compete with traditional brands like Gillette for a place in customers' baskets, at a time with FMCG giants are increasingly taking lessons from (and in some cases investing in) their DTC challengers.
Also facing off stiff competition from fellow US-founded and Unilever-owned rival Dollar Shave Club (which last year launched in the UK), Harry's is the first big-name razor service to undertake a nationwide expansion into bricks and mortar.
The rollout in Boots will kick off from Wednesday (10 April) and the shaving brand will be on show in-store via a series of prominently positioned, branded displays.
Harry's will be hoping the Boots partnership expands its UK market share and introduces its products to a broader audience. The brand's UK sales Harry’s sales already grew by 250% between 2017 and 2018.
Matt Hiscock, Harry's UK general manager said: "We always put customers first, and believe that purchasing grooming products should be as simple and enjoyable as possible, online or in stores."
Earlier this month, the brand signed up Tottenham and England forward Harry Kane as brand ambassador, leveraging his star power and conveniently shared name to offer up its own take on toxic masculinity.
The spot was inevitably compared with rival brand Gillette's 'We Believe' campaign, delivered early this year by Kim Gehrig of This Girl Can fame which reframed its 'The Best a Man Can Get' positioning.