Competitor analysis  

Due to the lack of catalogue listings and advertisements on the Ten-Ten Hair Setter, we analyize catalogue listings, packaging, advertisements of competitors and similar products to gain a better understanding of the Ten-Ten's design and features. This analysis considers how consumer behaviour concepts, and perceptual biases, may have influenced the products design and how consumers perceived it.

Kindness 20

The Kindness 20 is a very similar product to the Ten-Ten Hair Setter and may have been a direct competitor, sharing key characteristics with the Ten-Ten. A catalogue listing from Eaton’s Spring Summer Catalog (1969) shows that it was sold with pins and a handle on the case, reinforcing the idea that these features were likely standard and would have also been included with the Ten-Ten (Eaton’s 1969, 317). This emphasis on portability and convenience reflects consumer preferences, valueing products that offered efficiency and ease of use.

Clairol 2-Minute Hair Setter

Another product that provides insight into the design of hair setters during this period is the Clairol 2-Minute Hair Setter. The packaging shows the British pound symbol, suggesting that this model is from the United Kingdom. The Clairol 2-Minute Hair Setter also features removable rollers and a base designed to heat them efficiently, highlighting similar key design elements that reflect the growing consumer demand for speed and ease of use (Esty n.d.). By promoting speed and ease, the Clairol 2-Minute Hair Setter appealed to consumers who saw problems when they perceive a gap between their current state – using regular curlers, and their desired state of achieving faster, salon-quality results at home (Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard 2014, 350).

90s Hairsetting Devices

In later years, there is an increased variety of hair setters, which may hint at a rising demand and growing popularity. A page from the 1993/94 Consumer Distributing Catalog shows a wide selection of hair-setting devices compared to earlier decades. Descriptions in the catalog show advancements in design, with products offering features like larger roller sizes, more styling options, and soft cushioned rollers, suggesting a shift toward comfort and customization. (Consumer Distributing 1993-94, 225). This increased variety suggest that manufacturers were responding to consumer feedback and the growing demand for comfort and customization. This increase in variety aligns with Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard’s point that consumers are likely to seek products that match their values, preferences, and previous experiences, reinforcing perceptual bias (Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard 2014, 36).

These products—the Kindness 20, Clairol 2-Minute Hair Setter, and later 1990s models show how consumer behavior influences product design and innovation. Consumers engage in extended decision-making, when they perceive a gap between their current state and their desired state (Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard 2014, 350). With hair setters, advertising features like speed, ease of use, and portability are the desired gap. As the products evolved, manufacturers responded to growing demands for comfort and customization, reflecting consumers’ increasing bias toward products that aligned with their personal preferences and lifestyle needs.

For the Ten-Ten Hair Setter, these insights suggest that its design and advertising likely focused on similar values—speed, convenience, and simplicity. The Ten-Ten’s features, such as its portability and efficient heating mechanism, would have been key selling points, and advertisements may have highlighted how the product could provide salon-like results at home in a fraction of the time. The marketing would have likely advertised it as a time-saving beauty solution, promising quick, hassle-free results.

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Advertisements can also help us get a better understanding of how beauty standards and societal expectations were communicated through products like hair setters.

Clairol Kindness Ad

One interesting advertisement for a comparable product to the Ten-Ten, was the Clairol Kindness from the 1960s. It was a print ad from the United States, it uses a distinctive approach by featuring a woman with curlers, paired with the phrase “men can’t love a head full of curlers,” suggesting that the image of a woman with curlers in her hair is unattractive (eBay n.d). The ad reflects the societal pressures women face to maintain a certain appearance, particularly in terms of beauty and femininity.

Rayette Cinderella Electric Hair-Setter Ad

Another advertisement to consider is the Rayette Cinderella Electric Hair-Setter. The image shows how the ad promotes the product as a quick, convenient way for women to achieve salon-quality hairstyles at home. The ad highlights how women can change their hairstyle quickly between daily activities, reinforcing the idea of speed and ease of use. The ad’s imagery and wording suggest that the product offers a fast solution for maintaining a polished appearance (Retro Adverto 2012).

Miss Carol Ad

While many ads focus on women’s beauty, the Miss Carol ad takes a different angle by addressing beauty and femininity in the context of motherhood. The image shows the ad, which emphasizes the youthful appearance of women, even those who are mothers. The slogan “Does She or Doesn’t She?” suggests that the woman’s well-maintained hair might not be as effortless as it appears, reinforcing the idea that beauty standards extend into motherhood (Chatelaine 1961).