Have you ever noticed a strange paradox in the modern advertising world: more and more brands are using the most advanced technology to convince you that you don't need the most advanced things? That is precisely what Dollar Shave Club is doing, and they are executing it so brilliantly that it has the entire industry stopping to reflect.
On October 20, 2026, Dollar Shave Club launched a new omnichannel campaign titled "Perfectly Good Is Perfect"—a defiant message sent to a culture of perfectionism that is increasingly embedded in consumer life. But what makes this campaign special is not just the message. The special part lies in how they executed it: using artificial intelligence, a tool they readily admit was unnecessary for the idea, but helped them bring that idea to the world faster and cheaper.
Join me, SilverZ, in dissecting this campaign from its roots. Because behind a humorous commercial lies a profound lesson about honesty, speed, and the boundaries of technology that any marketer needs to understand.
Background: When "Good Enough" Becomes a Manifesto
To understand why "Perfectly Good Is Perfect" resonates, one must understand the context in which Dollar Shave Club operates. The brand has gone through a long journey from an insurgent disruptor in 2012 with a classic viral video, to being acquired by Unilever for $1 billion in 2016, and then bought by Nexus Capital Management in 2023. But in recent years, they gradually lost their characteristic edge.
Laura Higgins, who assumed the role of Chief Brand and Innovation Officer about six months ago, candidly admitted: "Over the past six months, we've had disjointed campaigns that didn't really connect with each other, mostly focused on product." She realized that Dollar Shave Club had lost what made them unique: their voice speaking out against the absurdity of the razor industry.
And "Perfectly Good Is Perfect" is an effort to reclaim that voice. The campaign targets a new objective: the obsession with perfection. Higgins explained that the campaign was shaped by insights into the rise of perfectionism, including psychological research showing college students feel increasingly pressured to be perfect. Dollar Shave Club connected that social phenomenon with the anxiety that personal care has become exhausting and expensive—especially when economic fears prompt some consumers to switch to lower-quality disposable razors.
The core message is clear: you don't need a 10-blade razor. You just need a razor that fits your needs. Two blades if you want comfort and affordability. Four blades if you shave every other day. Six blades if you shave daily. That is honesty to the point of bluntness, and that is what creates the appeal.
The AI Paradox: Using Technology to Say Technology Is Unnecessary
This is the most interesting and also the most controversial part of the campaign.
Dollar Shave Club used AI to create humorous scenarios in the main commercial video. For example, the spokesperson raises six fingers when introducing the six-blade razor—a small but subtle detail, as if to say: "This is peak technology, but do you actually need it?" AI helped them generate images and situations that would be very difficult, very expensive, or simply impossible to shoot practically.
Yet Higgins candidly acknowledged: "We didn't need AI for the idea." The idea came from her, from concerns about perfection culture, from observations of consumer behavior. AI was merely a tool to bring the idea to life faster, helping the brand and their agency partner Humanaut shorten production time to about two and a half months.
This raises a thought-provoking question: When a brand uses AI to promote a "good enough" product, are they being sincere or creating an irresolvable paradox?
Some might call it hypocritical. But I see it as admirable honesty. Higgins does not hide the fact that they used AI. She does not claim that AI is "the future of the industry" or "revolutionizing the creative process." She simply states that it helps them move faster, and they are "being more selective about where we use AI."
And that is the biggest lesson.
The Boundaries of AI: When to Use It, When to Avoid It
What impressed me most about Higgins wasn't that she used AI, but that she knew when to stop.
She shared that Dollar Shave Club was hesitant to use AI to show shaving in action, because the technology still cannot get the visuals quite right. This is an admirable admission in an era where many brands are willing to use AI for everything just because it is cheap and fast, regardless of whether the output quality meets standards.
Instead, Dollar Shave Club uses AI for more appropriate tasks: generating surreal humorous scenarios, rapidly prototyping ideas, and automating repetitive tasks. Higgins said: "AI allows creators to be creative, allows brand managers to be strategic, and strips away the busywork so they can actually focus."
That is a very clear philosophy: AI is not strategy. AI is an execution tool. And like any tool, it is only effective when used in the right place, at the right time, for the right purpose.
Campaign Ecosystem: From TV to TikTok, from Shaving to Grooming
"Perfectly Good Is Perfect" is not just a commercial video. It is a comprehensive omnichannel campaign spanning connected TV, YouTube, Meta, and TikTok, with social activations rolling out throughout the month.
A notable highlight is the stunts—experiential activities designed to generate buzz. One of them is the "Red-ish Carpet," where the brand gives ordinary people the chance to be interviewed celebrity-style in "perfectly good" cities like Cincinnati and Knoxville, Tennessee. This is a smart approach: instead of glorifying perfection, they celebrate ordinariness. Instead of seeking celebrities, they look for real people.
And the campaign continues to expand. Dollar Shave Club is filming phase two of "Perfectly Good Is Perfect," integrating their women's product line and expanding the "Hairbernation" social campaign—which encourages women to only shave the areas they feel necessary when the weather gets cold. This is a strategic move to broaden the customer base and reinforce the "good enough" message beyond just men.
Long-Term Goals: Changing Perception, Not Just Selling Products
The most important point Higgins emphasized is that the campaign's goal is not just to sell more razors. It is to change how people perceive Dollar Shave Club.
She admitted: "Many people know Dollar Shave Club as a cheap brand. And honestly, our razors are great, and that is the perception I am trying to shift. We are not just a cheap brand."
This is no small challenge. When you have the word "Dollar" in your brand name, convincing people you aren't just "cheap" is a tough puzzle. Higgins acknowledged it: "I know. People have considered dropping 'Dollar,' like Kentucky Fried Chicken becoming KFC. But people don't understand. And maybe there's a place for that with expanded product lines. But while we make razors, we should lean into what people know us for."
That is a courageous admission. Instead of trying to hide or alter what is deeply ingrained in public perception, Dollar Shave Club chose to redefine what it means. "Cheap" does not mean "poor quality." "Good enough" does not mean "mediocre." And "perfectly good" is a more powerful declaration than any promise of perfection.
Lessons for Vietnamese Marketers: When "Good Enough" Is a Strategy
Dollar Shave Club's campaign offers practical lessons for Vietnamese marketers, especially in an economically fluctuating environment where consumers are increasingly pragmatic.
1. Honesty is the strongest weapon
In a market where every brand promises to be the "best," "number one," or "perfect," stating that "we are good enough" is a bold differentiator. It builds trust because it acknowledges you don't need to be everything to everyone. Vietnamese consumers, especially the younger generation, are increasingly savvy about hollow promises and value sincerity.
2. AI is a tool, not a strategy
Higgins made it clear: "AI is not strategy." She uses AI to increase speed and cut costs, but ideas, messaging, and strategic direction all stem from humans. Vietnamese marketers should learn to use AI as a supporting tool, not a replacement for creative thinking and customer understanding.
3. Know the limits of technology
Dollar Shave Club's refusal to use AI for shaving action shots because "the technology isn't right yet" is a lesson in humility and practicality. Having a new tool doesn't mean it must be used for everything. Sometimes, the best way to use technology is knowing when not to use it.
4. Speed is a competitive advantage
With a creative team of only six people, Dollar Shave Club can go from an idea to AI prototypes in about three weeks, and from brief to actual production in a few months. In a market where consumer behavior shifts rapidly, the ability to adapt and launch quickly is an undeniable advantage.
5. Build a content ecosystem, not just a single campaign
"Perfectly Good Is Perfect" is not just a video. It is a platform for all future marketing efforts by Dollar Shave Club. Higgins calls it a "platform for future creative"—where every new product and campaign can tie back to a unified message. Vietnamese marketers should learn to build scalable brand platforms rather than disjointed, unrelated campaigns.
When Perfect Is the Enemy of Good
I have witnessed the advertising industry undergo quite a few revolutions over the past two decades. From the days when ads were merely one-way messages, to the era of interactivity, personalization, and now AI. Each step brings new tools, but also new temptations: the temptation to do everything faster, cheaper, and in greater volume without pausing to think if it's genuinely better.
Dollar Shave Club is showing us a different path. They use AI, but do not let AI lead. They pursue agility, but do not trade away sincerity. And they tell consumers something few brands dare to say: you don't need to be perfect. You just need to be good enough.
That is a liberating message. In a world where everyone tries to be more perfect, being granted permission to be yourself—with all flaws and limitations—is a gift. And Dollar Shave Club, through cleverness and sincerity, is handing that gift to millions of consumers.
As Higgins stated: "We're selling razors, we're not saving babies." Sometimes, that simple admission is the most powerful brand strategy of all.
What do you think about how Dollar Shave Club uses AI to promote the message that "good enough is perfect"? Is it a harmonious blend of technology and sincerity, or an unacceptable paradox where the very tool that creates "perfection" is used to argue that "perfection is unnecessary"? And if you are a marketer in Vietnam, how would you apply this "perfectly good" mindset to your brand—would you dare tell customers your product is "only" good enough while competitors still promise the extraordinary? Share your perspective below, because in this brand game, those who dare speak the truth earn the most trust!
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