DAY BY DAY PART
nn. - Male consumers now have a variety of shower gels to choose from - one for each part of their day. The Axe line from Unilever here has introduced four new gels: Snake Peel Shower Scrub, which "cleans away dirt, dry skin and any lingering 'guilt or shame'"; Re-load Shower Gel, to "give guys a way to recharge"; Recovery Shower Gel, to "clear the cobwebs after a night of partying"; and Groove Shower Gel, to "get guys pumped to go out." "The fantastic target audience, boys and men ages 14 to 24, will have great exposure to the line," said Kathy O'Brien, customer marketing director for the Unilever skin business in the United States. A national ad campaign will include in-store displays - called super sidekicks - to attract men to the aisle.
MAKING THE PIVOT
MILFORD, Conn. - Bic here will offer consumers a triple blade with the newest addition to its shaver offerings, the Comfort 3 Pivot. The shaver has a pivot head with "Soothing Strips" containing aloe and vitamin E, and a handle with a "Soft Feel" grip. The shaver will come in a four-pack and ship to customers in March 2006 with a suggested retail price of $4.19. Bic will be doing freestanding inserts in March, June and September 2006 for $1 off a Bic Comfort 3 Pivot shaver four-pack. "Our research shows that new shavers that offer more value-added features are driving growth in this segment," said Susan Lanzarotto, Bic's senior brand manager.
HEAVENLY ROMANCE
GLENDALE, Calif. - Reese Witherspoon ("Legally Blonde," "Walk the Line") stars in the romantic comedy, "Just Like Heaven," debuting on DVD and VHS from DreamWorks Home Entertainment here. From the director of "Mean Girls," this is the love story of an architect played by Mark Ruffalo ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") and the spirit of a woman played by Witherspoon. The title will be supported with a multimillion-dollar marketing program that leverages its Valentine's Day release timing. The campaign will include a national advertising and publicity effort with radio promotions and online exposure, as well as cross-trailering on upcoming DreamWorks Home Entertainment and Universal Studios Home Entertainment releases. The release will be available Feb. 7 for a minimum advertised price of $19.95.
Top 10 SUPERMARKET DVD SELL-THROUGH TITLES
As of January 15, 2006
RANK: Title (# of Weeks Out),; Last Week Studio, Retail Price
1) 1; Wedding Crashers (1); New Line $28.98
2) N; Red Eye; DreamWorks $29.99
3) 2: The 40-Year-Old Virgin (4); Universal $29.98
4) 3; Mr. & Mrs. Smith (6); Fox $29.99
5) 4; Fantastic Four (5); Fox $29.99
6) 6; The Brothers Grimm (3); Buena Vista $29.99
7) 5; Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (11); Fox $29.98
8) 7: March of the Penguins (6); Warner $28.98
9) 9; Madagascar (8); DreamWorks $29.99
10) 10; Toy Story 2: Special Edition (2); Buena Vista $29.99
N = New
This chart, tailored for the supermarket video market, is based on information taken from more than 1,000 supermarket rental locations serviced by Ingram Entertainment, La Vergne, Tenn.
