The Enduring Appeal Of High Karate Cologne

Hai Karate was a men's cologne and aftershave sold in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1960s to the 1980s. It was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. The fragrance was reintroduced in the UK in 2014 and again in 2021.

Hai Karate was a budget cologne for men

Hai Karate was priced competitively, higher than Old Spice, Aqua Velva, and Mennen Skin Bracer, but lower than Jade East and English Leather. The product was known for its humorous advertising, which included self-defence instructions to help wearers "fend off women". The marketing campaign was developed at the advertising firm of McCaffrey & McCall by George Newall, who gained fame as the co-producer of, and songwriter for, Schoolhouse Rock!

The cologne was relaunched in the UK in 2014 by Healthpoint Ltd, following the brand's original formulation but with different packaging. It was reintroduced again in 2021 by Beauty Clear, with the help of Michael Pickthall's daughter, Wendy, who is also a key part of CPL Aromas.

It was sold in the US and UK from the 1960s to the 1980s

Hai Karate was a budget aftershave and cologne for men that was sold in the US and UK from the 1960s to the 1980s. It was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967 with the catchphrase "Be careful how you use it". The fragrance was priced higher than Old Spice, Aqua Velva, and Mennen Skin Bracer but lower than Jade East and English Leather.

Hai Karate was known for its humorous television and magazine advertisements, which included self-defence instructions to help wearers "fend off women". The brand's marketing plan was developed at the advertising firm of McCaffrey & McCall by George Newall, who gained fame as the co-producer and songwriter for Schoolhouse Rock! The advertisements were considered humorous as they played to a “male fantasy of a world where women find them irresistible”.

From 1969 to 1976, Bond girl Valerie Leon played the woman driven wild by a man wearing Hai Karate aftershave in a highly successful series of British commercials for the product. Leon parodied her Hai Karate ad campaign role in The Goodies episode "It Might as Well Be String" by attacking Tim Brooke-Taylor.

Hai Karate was so popular that it sold over $200 million worth of products a year at its peak. It has since attained cult status, largely due to its memorable advertising campaigns.

It was relaunched in the UK in 2014 and 2021

Hai Karate was a men's cologne and aftershave sold in the United Kingdom and the United States from the 1960s to the 1980s. It was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. The fragrance was priced higher than competitors such as Old Spice and Aqua Velva but lower than English Leather.

Hai Karate was relaunched in the UK in 2014 by Healthpoint Ltd, following the brand's original formulation but using different packaging. It was relaunched again in the UK and EU in 2021 by Beauty Clear, which licensed the formula from CPL Aromas, a company co-founded by Hai Karate's original perfumer, Michael Pickthall. Beauty Clear worked with Pickthall's daughter, Wendy, to produce the fragrance.

It was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer

Hai Karate was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. It was a budget aftershave and cologne for men sold in the United States and the United Kingdom. The fragrance was created by master perfumer Michael Pickthall, who would later go on to co-found the global fragrance house CPL Aromas in 1971.

Pfizer positioned Hai Karate as a premium product, pricing it higher than competitors such as Old Spice, Aqua Velva, and Mennen Skin Bracer. The cologne was known for its humorous advertising, which included self-defence instructions to help wearers "fend off women". The marketing campaign played on the "male fantasy of a world where women find them irresistible".

In addition to the original fragrance, Pfizer also launched variations such as Oriental Lime and Oriental Spice, and possibly Musk and Iced Hai. Hai Karate was a successful product, generating over $200 million in annual sales at its peak. The brand has since attained cult status, largely due to its memorable advertising campaigns.

Pfizer no longer owns the Hai Karate brand, but it has been relaunched multiple times. The brand was reintroduced in the UK in 2014 by Healthpoint Ltd, and again in 2021 by Beauty Clear, both times using the original formulation but with different packaging.

It was priced higher than Old Spice and Aqua Velva

Hai Karate was a men's cologne and aftershave sold in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1960s to the 1980s. It was originally developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. It was a budget fragrance, but it was priced higher than its direct competitors, Old Spice and Aqua Velva. It was also priced higher than Mennen Skin Bracer.

The pricing strategy of Hai Karate was interesting, as it was positioned as a budget fragrance, yet it was more expensive than some of the most well-known and popular colognes on the market at the time. This unique positioning may have contributed to the success of the brand.

The higher price point of Hai Karate compared to Old Spice and Aqua Velva could be due to several factors. Firstly, Hai Karate was known for its unique and humorous marketing campaigns, which may have allowed the brand to charge a premium. The advertising campaigns played on the "male fantasy of a world where women find them irresistible" and included self-defence instructions to help wearers "fend off women". This creative and light-hearted approach to advertising may have added value to the brand and justified the higher price.

Another factor could be the quality and formulation of the fragrance itself. Hai Karate was created by master perfumer Michael Pickthall, who went on to co-found the global fragrance house CPL Aromas. The involvement of a renowned perfumer could have resulted in a higher-quality fragrance, justifying a higher price point.

Additionally, Hai Karate may have benefited from its association with Pfizer, a well-known and established company. Consumers may have perceived the fragrance as being of higher quality due to the Pfizer name, again justifying a higher price compared to Old Spice and Aqua Velva.

It is worth noting that while Hai Karate was priced higher than Old Spice and Aqua Velva, it was still priced lower than other fragrances on the market, such as Jade East and English Leather. This positioning allowed Hai Karate to compete successfully with other brands and establish itself as a popular and well-known fragrance.

The pricing strategy of Hai Karate demonstrates the brand's unique approach to the market and its ability to differentiate itself from competitors. By charging a higher price than direct competitors while remaining lower than more premium brands, Hai Karate carved out a unique position in the fragrance market.

Frequently asked questions