Hai Karate
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Hai Karate was a budget aftershave on sale in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 1960s and the 1970s, and derives its notability from its position as an icon of nostalgia. It was famously used by teenagers as their first scent, competing with other market leaders Brut, Denim and Old Spice. As a unique marketing ploy, in the early days each bottle of Hai Karate came with a small self-defense instruction booklet, to help wearers defend themselves against women.
The fragrance was developed by the Leeming division of Pfizer and launched in 1967. As well as the original Hai Karate fragrance, versions named Oriental Lime, Musk and Oriental Spice were soon introduced.
Hai Karate is also fondly remembered for its television adverts, which featured a stereotypical nerd covering himself in the substance and being seduced by a female passer-by played by Valerie Leon of Carry On films fame. The advertising catch phrase was "Be careful how you use it".
As evidence of its status as an iconic brand of the 1970s, it was featured in the BBC series I Love the '70s.
[edit] References
- Tuckwood, Jan. "UNCORKED MACHISMO!" from The Palm Beach Post (Jun 2001)
- Hai Karate in the Basenotes Fragrance Directory
