MAM
Gillette’s M3Power razor ad ruled as false advertising
MUMBAI: Gillette’s M3Power razor’s ad in the US seems to have got itself into some serious trouble.
In a competitive move, razor rivals Energizer Holdings’s Schik razor filed a suit against Gillette on the premise that Gillette was adopting false advertising gimmicks for its M3 Power razor.
Judge Janet C. Hall of the United States District Court, Connecticut, on 1 June granted Schick a preliminary injunction against false advertising claims by Gillette for its M3Power razor. Judge Hall determined that Gillette’s claim that the M3Power raises hair up and away from the skin was both “unsubstantiated and inaccurate” according to various agency reports.”The court found that that the product demonstrations in Gillette’s advertising are “greatly exaggerated” and “literally false.”
Interestingly, Schick-Wilkinson Sword president Joe Lynch was quoted saying that the scientific evidence indicated that Gillette’s claims for M3Power went well beyond the capabilities of its products and that he firmly believed that since the day the M3Power was launched a year ago, Gillette has deceived consumers about the performance of its product.
Although Gillette did not make an offical comment on the same , the ruling marks the latest turn in a patent fight involving No. 2 razor company Schick-Wilkinson Sword and market leader Gillette.
As a result of this preliminary injunction, Gillette will now have to immediately cease the claims that they have been making in the TVC’s and print advertising. Also within 30 days, the razor major must also change packaging for the product and remove in-store displays that feature the disputed claims. It is unclear what measures Gillette will have forced upon them in other countries as the specific claims cited by Judge Hall appear to have been made on a global basis.
The razor rivals have been battling each other since Schick released new products — including Quattro — to try to cut into Gillette’s dominance of the global shaving market.
Gillette has argued that any razor head with a group of three blades would be covered by its patent. Its Mach3 razor and M3Power, a pulsating razor based on Mach3, as well as the women’s Venus razor, each have three blades.
Energizer’s Quattro and the recently launched Quattro for Women each have four blades.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
