Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Gillette takes us inside World Shaving Headquarters



Gillette is releasing a series of short videos timed with Labor Day that celebrate the employees who make the brand’s blades and razors in South Boston.

The feel-good “Faces Behind the Blades” campaign features a father-daughter duo, two brothers with 30 and 37 years at Gillette, a 50-year veteran and other local workers.

“We saw this as a way around Labor Day to celebrate everything our employees do for our business,” said Kara Buckley, global communications leader for grooming at Procter & Gamble Co., the Gillette parent company. “I don’t think people realize what happens here or the many, many people that put their hearts into it every day.”

Gillette is among the largest employers in Boston. The company said it has more than 1,300 workers in Massachusetts and the vast majority work at its World Shaving Headquarters in South Boston.

The facility opened in 1904. Buckley said the manufacturing center, which covers more than 44 acres with 26 interconnected buildings, produces more than 4 billion razor blades a year.

The longest video features interviews with several employees, who list their positions and the number of years they have spent at Gillette. The video also includes footage of the local facility as workers talk about their pride in making blades and razors. Four other clips focus more closely on individual employees.



The videos will be sent to employees Thursday and promoted on social media. Gillette also plans to offer employees free breakfast several times throughout the month of September, Buckley said.

Gnarly Bay, a Rhode Island production company, filmed and edited the videos. The New York office of the public relations and marketing firm Ketchum helped develop the campaign with a team from Gillette.



Taryn Luna can be reached at taryn.luna@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @TarynLuna.