After the hot movie Iron Man, here comes the real iron for men, manufactured by Dutch electronics giant Philips. Philips felt that men wanted a more robust, heavy-duty tool to tackle hampers of laundry, with a larger grip and more masculine design. So it created the GC4490, with the slogan “more power, more steam, more performance”.

Philips’s new product launch focuses on an un-served segment in the appliance market and tries to enhance its brand equity among male consumers. Specifically, laundry and ironing have traditionally been done by women in the past, and some men prefer spend a little money to get laundry and ironing done in laundromats rather than do it themselves. Phillips GC4490 attempts to change these assumptions by introducing an iron specifically designed for men.
It is interesting to discuss this product in relation to the four pillars of brand equity- differentiation, relevance, esteem, and knowledge. The iron for men serves to differentiate the Phillips brand from others as it is a highly unique offering. It also is very relevant for its target group, with a sleek yet rugged design and technical specifications that are tailor-made for men. As the top brand in electric shavers, Philips has existing brand esteem among male consumers, and the iron for men should strengthen this pillar further. Brand knowledge will also be enhanced as this product shows what the Phillips brand stands for.
In addition to its brand building benefits, the unique and potentially controversial nature of the iron for men can offer many opportunities for brand communication and marketing campaigns. At the very least it could be a new favorite Father's Day gift!