Gillette is a leading brand of men's and women's personal care products, most famous for its shaving equipment. It was founded by King C. Gillette in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1901 as the American Safety Razor Company. Today, the "Gillette Company" as an independent entity no longer exists; it operates as a major business unit under the ownership of the global consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G), which acquired Gillette in a $57 billion merger in 2005. Core Business and Products Gillette is a globally focused marketer known for pioneering the "razor-and-blade" business model, selling razor handles at a low initial cost to generate recurring revenue from high-margin, proprietary replacement blades. Its product lines include: Blades & Razors: Manual and power razors, disposable razors, and replacement cartridges for both men and women (e.g., Mach3, Fusion5, Sensor, Venus, SkinGuard). Shave Preps & Skincare: Shave gels, foams, and creams, as well as aftershaves, lotions, and body washes. Deodorants & Antiperspirants: Various men's personal care items. Brands Under the Former Gillette Company Before the P&G merger, the Gillette Company was a diversified consumer products company that also owned several other well-known brands, many of which are still managed by P&G today: Oral-B: A leader in manual and power toothbrushes and other oral care products. Braun: Manufacturer of small household appliances, electric shavers, and personal diagnostic products (like thermometers). Duracell: A world leader in alkaline batteries (though P&G later spun off Duracell). Writing Instruments: Brands like Paper Mate, Parker, and Waterman were previously part of the portfolio but were later divested by P&G. Gillette maintains a strong emphasis on continuous innovation and extensive sports marketing campaigns to connect with consumers globally, with products sold in over 200 countries and territories.