We're Thirty Years Old Today and it's time to head back in time to April 13th, 1993 - the summer is on its way, temperatures are rising, and the Nineties are smoothly getting into their swing.
In the UK, Young At Heart by the Bluebells sits atop the Top 40, across the pond, Informer by Snow tops the US Billboard charts. Bill Clinton holds the presidential reins in the US, while John Major is the Prime Minister of the UK.
Texting is not yet a thing, neither is the internet and people are using landline phones, pagers, and faxes. Meanwhile, in Africa, a civil war rages on in Rwanda.
Fashion-wise, the late 80s trends are still in vogue, with coloured tights, denim overalls, flannel shirts, and shoulder pads all the rage. However, the grunge fashion has taken the world by storm, popularising ripped jeans, band t-shirts and Doc Martens.
While war rages on in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a new music storage format, the CD, is taking the world by storm. Turn on the radio and you'll hear the likes of Meat Loaf, UB40, Snow, Haddaway, Whitney Houston, and new British boy band Take That, dominating the airwaves. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as Baywatch and Last of the Summer Wine and gamers are playing classics such as Super Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Kids and teenagers are also into television shows such as Fireman Sam, Mr. Bean and The Simpsons, while playing with toys such as Pogs – a playing discs game or the Super Soaker water gun.
And, as a man, you were likely shaving with Gillette, there being little else to choose from. However, on this day, Will King, a fresh faced clean shaven 27-year-old launched King of Shaves to challenge their decades long dominance and the face of shaving was changed for better, forever.
Three decades later we’re still challenging, and hope that on our 30th birthday, you might make the change to us and enjoy a hit of 90’s “shave happy” in these stubbly, troubled times. We promise, you won’t look back in anger if you do.
Thank you to the tens of millions of men (and women) who’ve helped us remain as (retro) relevant now, as we were back then.
Important: Enjoy!
WILL
And there's more. A LOT MORE...!
A TREND AGENCY TELLS ME......that being 'clean shaven' is coming back big time in the USA (had a call with a trends agency) so maybe the clean-shaven look will return (as, apparently - there is a strong correlation* between wealth, power and being clean shaven). I don't know many men who wouldn't want to be richer or more powerful. I wish Donald Trump would grow a beard though.
BEHAVING YOUNG, FEELING OLDER, BUT STILL 100/10 ON IT. I'm greatly enjoying returning as CEO aged 57 - and behaving like a 27-year-old founder, if only to retro-relate myself with buyers across the major retailers, the youngest (of a major supermarket chain) is 20! and in the role for months, rather than years! Oh, and the buyers love my use of emoji's! 👑🪒😃 So, if you're into following me trying to get beards banished, take on Gillette again, get you more into our brand and generally HAVE FUN.
WE'LL BE SHAVING HAPPY ON TWITTER AND TIKTOK!
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Today on the twitter, there'll be an epic 'One Minutes Brief' with the challenge of making my 90's retro brand relevant in the 20's. This normally gets massive engagement - basically 40,000 'OMBLES' are given an advertising, marketing challenge. the founder, Nick a big friend of mine, loads of big companies use them vs their 'ad agencies' and KoS is their all-time favourite brand to do creatives for! We're excited to see what the OMBLES deliver - you can see all the action (and maybe join in) by clicking HERE. There's £1,000 for the Winner and runner-up prizes too!
GOD SHAVE THE KING'S CROWN JEWELS. WE'RE #TALKINGBOLLOCKS. SERIOUSLY.
TIME SENSITIVE PRESS RELEASE: 00.01 13.4.23 UKMSM_OUTLETS
King of Shaves Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Partnering with The Robin Cancer Trust to Raise Awareness of Germ Cell Cancers
London, UK – To mark its 30th anniversary on Thursday April 13th 2023, leading British men's shaving brand King of Shaves is proud to announce a partnership with The Robin Cancer Trust a UK-based charity dedicated to raising awareness and educating young adults on the early detection of germ cell cancers.
The collaboration will see King of Shaves support The Robin Cancer Trust's ongoing campaign #TalkingBollocks with “Check Your ‘King Crown Jewels’ #CheckYourCrownJewels partnership, through social media, sporting, retailer and event activations.
The Robin Cancer Trust was established in 2012 by the Freeman family in memory of their son and brother, Robin Freeman, who tragically passed away at just 24 after being diagnosed with a Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumour. Since its inception, the trust has reached tens of millions of people online, engaged with hundreds of thousands of people in the community, and delivered life-saving educational talks to over 100,000 young adults in schools, colleges, and businesses across the UK.
King of Shaves and The Robin Cancer Trust will work together to develop further awareness of germ cell cancer, with men being encouraged to take special care of their 'Crown Jewels.'
The partnership will involve collaborating with sporting teams, organisations, and social media influencers to expand the reach of the campaigns, further promoting the importance of early detection and education surrounding germ cell cancers.
Will King, CEO and Founder of King of Shaves, stated, "As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we're delighted to join forces with The Robin Cancer Trust to bring attention to germ cell cancer awareness. It is our hope that by leveraging our brand, packaging, retailer activations and resources, we can help save lives through early detection and education."
(Pic Right: Will met Toby at Ideasfest in August - here's a photo of him discussing the partnership in Autumn last year!)
Toby Freeman, CEO of The Robin Cancer Trust, added, "We're thrilled to partner with King of Shaves in our ongoing mission to raise awareness and save lives. Their support will undoubtedly amplify the impact of our campaigns and bring our message to a larger audience. Together, we can continue to honour Robin's legacy and make a real difference in the lives of those affected by germ cell cancer."
For more information about the partnership and how to get involved in raising awareness of germ cell cancers, visit the King of Shaves website at www.shave.com and The Robin Cancer Trust's website at www.therobincancertrust.org – more information is listed below on how to contact the respective organisations.
About King of Shaves: King of Shaves is a British men's shaving brand founded by Will King in 1993. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023, the company is dedicated to providing high-quality shaving and grooming products.
Twitter: @kingofshaves Instagram: @kingofshaves Website: shave.com Email: will@shave.com
About The Robin Cancer Trust: The Robin Cancer Trust is a UK-based charity founded in 2012 by the Freeman family, following the untimely death of Robin Freeman. The trust is dedicated to raising awareness, reducing embarrassment, and saving young lives through the early detection of germ cell cancers, which include testicular and ovarian cancer.
Twitter: @RCTcharity Instagram: @RCTcharity Website: therobincancertrust.org Email: toby@therobincancertrust.org
And there's MORE!
TOUCHDOWN! WE'RE TEAMING UP WITH THE NORTHUMBERLAND VIKINGS NFL TEAM. TOP OF THEIR LEAGUE, LET'S GO!
ANNOUNCEMENT! EVENT! FIRST GAME AS SPONSOR ON 23RD APRIL! LIVESTREAMED IN 4K TO THOUSANDS OF VIEWERS! TOUCHDOWNNN!
King of Shaves Announced as Title Sponsor of the Northumberland Vikings American Football Team.
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom - The Northumberland Vikings, a rising force in the BAFA National Leagues NFC 1 Central, are excited to announce King of Shaves as their new title sponsor for the upcoming season. The British shaving brand, celebrating its 30th anniversary on April 13th, 2023, has always been manufactured in the UK and is the only independent shaving brand to challenge multi-national competitors.
The Northumberland Vikings, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, are a talented and dedicated American Football team playing at Druid Park. Their success on the field has garnered a strong following and established them as a top contender in their league. However, the Vikings' commitment to the sport goes beyond just their own success - they are also focused on growing the sport and making it accessible to all in their community.
The North East Academy of American Football, of which the Northumberland Vikings are a part, is dedicated to making American Football accessible to children, young adults, and women. The Academy offers a clear pathway through the sport across multiple disciplines, fostering growth and development in the community. By working towards this goal, the Northumberland Vikings are not only building a stronger team, but also a stronger American Football culture in the United Kingdom.
Will King, Founder and CEO of King of Shaves, spoke about the importance of the partnership, saying "We are thrilled to be partnering with the Northumberland Vikings and supporting their mission to make American Football accessible to all. At King of Shaves, we believe in the power of sport to bring people together and build strong communities, and we are proud to be part of that mission with the Vikings."
David Robson, spokesperson for the Northumberland Vikings, added, "We are excited to have King of Shaves on board as our title sponsor. Their commitment to manufacturing in the UK and challenging multi-national competitors aligns with our own dedication to building a strong, independent American Football community in the UK. We look forward to a successful partnership on and off the field."
The Northumberland Vikings' upcoming season promises to be an exciting one, and King of Shaves is proud to be a part of their journey. With the North East Academy of American Football fostering growth and development in the community, the future of American Football in the United Kingdom looks bright.
For more information on King of Shaves, please visit their website at https://www.shave.com/ or contact Will King on email will@shave.com
To learn more about the Northumberland Vikings and the North East Academy of American Football, visit their website at https://northumberlandvikings.co.uk/ or contact David Robson on email david.robson@northumberlandvikings.com
THESE DAYS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE 'TOK, SOCIALS - THE INFLUENCERS, THE DISINFLUENCERS AND (SOMEHOW) GETTING YOUNG MEN INTO SHAVING HAPPY WHEN THEIR DAD HAS PROBABLY NOT TAUGHT THEM!
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Twitter: I'm ACTIVE here - please give me a follow and AMA! I've got plans! We'll have fun! You never know what might happen tweet tweet!
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Linked In: If you're on it, give me a follow, and see what I post here. It's a bit more - well - Linked In!
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TikTok: I'm gonna try and be "TikTok Famous" and make #ShavingTikTok trend with King of Shaves as a cult product. Be a challenge, but let's see how crazy I can be - follow and give me a "hi" here!
- Facebook: last but not least!
We have an EPIC 90's Shave Happy Playlist on Spotify, why not go back to happier times and have a listen! And there's more.... But that can wait, because I've had all this sent to me to check and approve to upload - and its 10.08pm!!! That's, Entrepreneur Founder Life at 57!
KEEPING IT PERSONAL I'm delighted and proud that after 30 years, we're still independent, we've always been made in Britain, and we opened the floodgates back in the mid-90's to hundreds, thousands of 'mens grooming brands' to challenge the established. In the whole of the 90's, we were the ONLY men's brand to launch. Incredible. Back then, I had a couple of fox terrier pups to keep me company, now my partner and I have Leo aka Sprout, an epic Griffon Bruxellois - George Lucas, Mr Star Wars owned one - and - based the Ewok on their face (true!) Something I bet the Gillette CEO doesn't take to work!
So, a long old school blog post that. Phew. But worth it. Here's to shaving more men happy, getting more men buying King of Shaves, and to the next 30 years, although I doubt I'll be CEO at 87, but - these days - who knows!!! Thank you for all your support as David once again goes up against the $100Bn Goliath (again) - Prince (Harrys), both US owned, as is Bulldog and a German behemoth. We remain independent, always made in Britain and the only founder led brand left.
And, with my brother Doug now owning Coventry City FC, who knows what will happen in 23-4! 👑👕🆙
Onwards!
Best wishes, and - don't just shave, King of Shaves and SHAVE HAPPY!
Will
👑🪒😃