A London-based men's natural skincare brand started in 2006 by Simon Duffy and Rhodri Ferrier, with products made in the UK and sold in supermarkets and chemists.
Bulldog makes natural skincare and grooming products for men, including moisturiser, face wash, shaving products and deodorant. Its hero product is the Bulldog Original Moisturiser. The range was launched with 13 products that were natural, free from parabens and synthetic fragrances, not tested on animals and packaged in recyclable materials. The idea was to offer simple, honest skincare at everyday prices, at £3 to £6 at launch and £4 to £9 later, so that men who had never used skincare could try it.
Simon Duffy, who came from marketing at Saatchi & Saatchi, and Rhodri Ferrier, who came from finance, met while working in New York. Mr Duffy was frustrated that men's moisturisers in a New York shop looked like afterthoughts, and his research suggested many were relabelled women's products. The two pooled about £37,000 of their savings and started the company in February 2006, and Mr Duffy went more than a year without a salary. The name nods to the idea of a dog as man's best friend and Mr Ferrier's childhood bulldog, Spike.
Bulldog launched nationally with an exclusive Sainsbury's deal in July 2007, then added Boots, Waitrose, Tesco, Superdrug and Ocado, and was in thousands of UK stores. One article said its head office was at Ladbroke Grove in London and that all products were made in the UK by a third-party specialist, with logistics handled by partners rather than its own warehouses. That information is from about 2010 to 2011, so it may have changed. The brand also expanded to Scandinavia, Japan and the US, and had a presence in independent health stores in Ireland.
On values, the company avoids synthetic chemicals where possible and uses essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. Its products were accredited as humane by BAVU in 2009, and its Eco-System range, launched in July 2009, was described as the first global men's grooming brand using Fairtrade ingredients, from co-operatives in places including Sri Lanka, Peru and Ghana. The marketing was online-focused, including sponsorship of David Mitchell's Soap Box and a newsletter called The Kennel. These details are older and are the company's own claims.
A company like this employs brand and marketing people, product developers, buyers and sales managers who work with supermarkets and chemists, designers, operations and supply-chain staff, and finance. If you enjoy marketing, product design or sustainable business, it is a good case study of how two people started a brand with a gap in the market. Check the brand's website for its present set-up and for any roles.
Website: www.bulldogskincare.com
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