What's worse: the story or that extra blade on the end?

I really get irritated when the critics say marketers create needs for their product. To some extent, that's true: do we really need iPods, cars that can go 100 miles per hour and Botox? For the most part, however, we create stories that help buyers fill wants, as Seth Godin writes in his book All Marketers Are Liars.

I believe the makers of the new Gillette Fusion razor, however, have gone too far in their story telling. I received one of these lethal weapons in the mail recently, and threw it away shortly after one use. And, as you can see by my profile picture, I know a thing or two about razors.

First of all, Gillette creates a problem by suggesting that the pressure that builds in the spaces between three blades causes discomfort, and that by adding two other blades, the pressure is eliminated! It doesn't matter that there's only a fraction of a fraction of an inch between those blades!

Right!

The lethal part of this instrument of death is the sixth blade - yes, I said sixth blade - on the end of the thing. They say it's for getting to those hard to reach places. I say it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Who expects to have an exposed blade on the END OF THE RAZOR!

I'll stick to my old fashioned, save, cheap Good News razors. Remember, the first blade pulls the hair out while the second one cuts it off.

Right!