Barbasol celebrates 100 years
with updated packaging
In 2019, iconic shaving brand Barbasol commemorates its 100
year anniversary.
The first shaving cream was invented by Frank Shields, a former
professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The innovative
product offered men an alternative to using a brush to work
soap into lather. The shaving cream formula was formulated to
provide a comfortable shave for men with tough beards and sensitive
skin, like Shields himself. When it was first produced, Barbasol
was filled and packaged entirely by hand in Indianapolis, IN.
Over the years, Barbasol has been sold in a variety of packaging
types and sizes. The introduction of aerosol cans in the 1950s
prompted a change in the formula from a thick cream to a soft,
fluffy foam. The iconic barbershop pole design on the first aerosol
cans remains a signature trademark for the brand.
Seeking to modernize its classic Barbasol product, parent company
Perio Inc. recently partnered with Crown Holdings, Inc. to debut
a new 7oz. (205 diameter) can size. According to the company, it
marks the first use of Crown’s debossing technology worldwide.
This technique imprints the brand’s traditional stripes and logo
at varying depths on the can, creating an exterior that helps catch
the light and draw consumer attention at point-of-sale. As an added
benefit, the package is easier to grip with wet hands thanks to the
three-dimensional texture created by the debossing pattern. Five
varieties will feature the new debossing, which debuted in stores
nationwide in early March: Soothing Aloe, Sensitive Skin, Extra
Moisturizing, Pacific Rush and Original.
“Our longevity as a brand stems from our ability to modernize
with the times without sacrificing our heritage or the relationships
we have built with generations of consumers,” said Tim McNamara,
May 2019 Spray 39
Perio VP of Marketing.
The debossing technology can be used around the entire can surface.
The process runs at full production speeds and is performed
after the flat metal sheet has been printed and then formed into its
cylindrical shape. Spray