A changing world is changing men’s roles in it. Learn why – and learn how to market to today’s “New Male Customer.”

1. EmErging from
thE man CavE
TargeTing Today’s new
male consumer
EXECUtivE SUmmarY
Testosterone-fueled ad campaigns have been hitting every major media outlet over the past
several months. with promotions ranging from old spice and dockers to the iron chef, it
appears as though the male consumer is encroaching on the turf long held by the fairer sex as
marketers’ favorite target.

2. But why men? How is gender relevant to a shifting economy?
when put into a historical perspective, this group’s
emergence appears to have been just as inevitable as
spending patterns within business cycles. The goal of this
paper is to apply this perspective to a shifting trend and
provide insight into what opportunities it might present to
the marketing community. in the darkest economic times,
the most adaptive are those who survive, and such adaptability
comes to those most aware of their changing world.
Changing rolES
since the end of 2007, 8.4 million american jobs have
been lost. of those jobs, over 75% had belonged to
men. meanwhile, 3 women to every 2 men are earning a
bachelor’s degree and in 2010, for the first time in U.S.
history, there are more women in the work force than
there are men. The trend is clear, but its implications can
be easily misconstrued. while the domestication of the
american male is often associated with emasculation, it
contrarily seems that many men are taking advantage of
in light of the global economic the new sociosexual hierarchies to take control of their lives
tumult experienced over the past in ways they hadn’t in the past. instead of focusing on how
they will earn money, men are growing more concerned with
two years, it was inevitable that how to spend it.
many changes would arise along when it comes to household goods (kitchen, bath, beauty,
etc.), marketers tend to largely ignore the male target.
the path to recovery. we are Stroll the aisle of your local grocery store, and you’ll find
now faced with a new frugality brand names that speak solely to women and copy telling
you that products are “mother approved.” and while
amongst consumers, as savings women still comprise the vast majority of sales in this
category, the margins are growing progressively thinner.
rates are trending upward a 2008 survey found that among men living alone or in a
and consumer confidence is couple (both opposite and same-sex), 76% claimed to be
primarily or at least partly responsible for buying groceries
drifting lower. such trends, while and 63% claimed the same responsibility for purchasing
both cleaning and laundry products.1 with a greater gender
obviously impactful of the overall balance than ever in consumer spending, perhaps it is time
for marketers to update perceptions of their customers
economy, place added pressure across brand portfolios.
on marketers to respond in kind. thE riSE and fall of thE mEtroSEXUal
in 2002, a remarkable fad rose to prominence. identifying
with well-coifed celebrities such as david Beckham and
ryan seacrest, men started caring about the way they
looked. actually, they started caring quite a lot. Face peels,
exfoliates, and other manscaping products surfaced as
beauty and hygiene became an acceptable and enjoyable
practice for both sexes. However, the term “metrosexual”
that was associated with this movement related to
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

3. a possible lesson from this success is that men might
not need their shampoo to be manly so much as they
prefer it not be girly. and perhaps by playing to the
middle, brands can cast a net toward men without
alienating their legacy female customers.
something less than macho. it took a “queer eye” in order
for the straight guy to look good: a tough pill to swallow for
the typical nascar enthusiast and college frat boy. at the
time, it seemed as though there might be a limit to how
much grooming men were willing to accept en masse.
and yet the grooming trend never disappeared. it merely
evolved to accommodate the sensibilities of the average
man. This “average Joe” is difficult to define, as he must
encompass attitudes, perceptions, and tastes across
numerous groups. categories ranging from socio-economic
background to sexual preference all factor into individual
identities, and therefore the “average” male can be best They employ aroma experts to concoct scents distinguishing
recognized by broader commonalities. The group as a their products from their more feminine counterparts. They
whole cannot be defined as a set of high-maintenance offer products allowing customers to shampoo, condition,
manscapers, just as it cannot be defined as a bunch wash, and shave in one session. They use bold, solid colors
of beer-swilling jocks. while it seems men want to feel in their packaging. But their most distinct formula for
better about the way they look and smell, they also want success has been the use of humor and sex appeal in their
to maintain an overall sense of masculinity. a recent marketing campaigns. By playing on men’s insecurities and
Brandweek article tried to define this representative of the desire for status and reward, these companies have seen
greater male class as someone between neanderthal and steady success. The messages these campaigns promote
metrosexual. it describes him as “…a man who equates (macho men use this product; spray this on – get the girls)
good grooming…with success and confidence. Being men, reinforce man’s most basic desires and goals.
though, many want their products to have demonstrable
utility – often through multiple uses.”2 in spite of P&g’s and unilever’s success, there are lessons
to be gleaned from marketers that have taken a less
Buoyed by strong growth in the body wash and shower gels extreme approach to a polarized market. although male-
categories and by the highly motivated/easily influenced oriented products make up less than 10% of all sales,
target group of younger men, the men’s grooming industry clever marketing tactics have helped capture some of the
rose to $4.8 Billion in revenue in 2009. although the growth remaining 40% of the population consisting of men by
rate has taken a dip since the outset of the recession, playing the middle of the field. The continued success of the
male consumption of beauty products has continued on Head & shoulders brand is a case in point: a consistently
an upward trend. appealing to the typical attributes of the gender-neutral product that has sustained upward sales
male stereotype, brands such as unilever’s axe and Procter growth. while the brand has reached out more directly to
& gamble’s old spice have taken the lead in this category. men recently by employing Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

4. steelers as a spokesperson and by extending its line with In a profile by Businessweek in 2007, the Network was
a men’s solution, Head & shoulders hasn’t strayed from described as the next mTV for its ability to capture the
its core design and focus as a solution for both him and attention of a younger audience, driven by sultry hosts like
her. in 2009, while overall hair care sales declined by 4%, giada de laurentiis and a national awareness of obesity
Head and shoulders saw an increase by 7%. a possible and dietary needs. apparently, with the new crop of younger
lesson from this success is that men might not need their audiences, the network has also been able to attract the
shampoo to be manly so much as they prefer it not be girly. attention of young men. The article describes a 21-year-old
and perhaps by playing to the middle, brands can cast a net male college student who records delaurentiis’ show so it
toward men without alienating their legacy female customers. won’t interfere with his class schedule. “it’s not the cooking
appeal,” he says, “so much as it’s her appeal.”4
thE gaStroSEXUal
The traditional expectation when a man says he’s cooking while cooking has long been cast as somewhat unmanly,
dinner usually involves an outdoor grill and slabs of men are increasingly adopting it for its non-culinary
meat cooked over an open flame. Generally, their female benefits. The key motivators for the gastrosexual, as
counterparts will handle any preparation of said meat, as described in the Purasia study are: cooking for passion,
well as any side dishes. while this expectation might seem cooking for praise, and cooking to impress potential
odd considering that men dominate the restaurant industry, partners. This observation exposes both the strengths
it has long been a relatively realistic impression of american and frailties of the male archetype. while men tend to
household roles. and yet, as with the grooming market, a find immense joy in the creativity and expression of artful
change is again underway. cooking, they are just as influenced by their own insecurities
and desire for reward. among 18 to 34 year old men, 23%
in a study commissioned by Purasia, the Future Foundation admitted to cooking in order to impress or potentially seduce
coined the term, “gastrosexual” to describe a classification a partner as opposed to just 11% of women in the same
of “masculine, upwardly mobile men aged 25-44, who are age range. This alpha male of the kitchen persona is further
passionate about cooking and the rewards that it might reinforced by the strong male personalities promoted on the
bring.” The report makes an interesting distinction about this Food network, the cooking channel, and the Travel channel.
new male attitude toward cooking. it is a passion for these The more modern impression relates that it is not only okay
men, a form of self-actualization. whereas fewer than 40% of for men to cook, but it is actually pretty macho.
women admit to actually enjoy cooking, 52% of men regard it
as a hobby and approach culinary projects with élan.3 Poggenpohl, a premium kitchen manufacturer, recently
teamed with Porsche design to create the P’7340, a kitchen
The Food network, a lifestyle cable television network designed specifically for men. Its sparse design and use
owned and operated by e.w. scripps, carries a variety of dark materials places the emphasis of the space less
of programming centered on the topics of cooking and on decoration, and more on fundamentals and function.
entertaining. its core audience has long been upscale This aesthetic aligns itself well with typical male interests,
women aged 25-44, and yet the network has progressively highlighting utility, function, and stripping the space
broadened its offering over the past several years into of useless ornamentation. These principles are common
reality-style competition shows such as the iron chef, throughout the most coveted icons of male fascination.
dinner: impossible, and chopped. This niche channel has sports cars, electronics, and power tools are all common
transformed itself to capture a growing share of the beloved areas of fascination amongst men, and they are frequently
18-34 set.
The more modern impression relates that it is not only
okay for men to cook, but it is actually pretty macho.
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

5. designed with these principles in mind. Function most often extension, the sites, publications, and tools necessary to
comes first, for it’s not how many buttons and lights a facilitate their lifestyles.
product might have, but how many features it supports.
manofthehouse.com is a blog dedicated to all things related
honEY, i’m homE to being a father. This online destination for dads shares
This year, omaha, nebraska will be hosting the 15th annual information about topics such as home care, cooking,
at-Home dad’s convention, a gathering of men from across finances, parenting, and relationships. If the existence of
the united states and canada who have opted to be the such a site weren’t proof enough of a greater male presence
primary caregivers for their children. The event started in in the home, the results of a recent survey conducted by
1995 as part of a study by oakton community college in the site are. From a sample of more than 1,000 fathers, the
the chicago area into this unique family arrangement. after survey found that 73% reported a sense of fulfillment from
10 years, the college ended its program and a group of taking care of their children; 91% agreed that when they
attendees stepped up to keep the convention running. equally divide household responsibilities with their spouses,
they tend to get along better. in the same study, only 51%
The continuation of this event was just as much about the of fathers said that having a successful career gave them
needs of the individual attendees as it was about servicing the same sense of personal fulfillment as their familial
a growing population. In reflection, one father was quoted responsibilities.6
as saying, “after six years of relatives, friends, neighbors
and strangers constantly questioning my decision and and yet, even with so many men taking a vested interest in
doubting my ability to be the primary caregiver, news of the the activity within their homes, the space often bears no
at-Home dads convention was welcoming. each year i have reflection of them as people. Quite often men are assigned
arrived home from the convention reenergized with a greater a specific area in their home that they can call their own,
sense of confidence, pride and purpose in fulfilling my while the rest belongs to their female counterparts. These
commitment as an at-home dad for my family.”5 However spaces generally reflect the utilitarian desires of men:
marginalized this group may have been in the past, they garages, patios or home offices. But some men take it a
have managed to form a growing support network and by step farther and carve out a shrine to their own masculinity
affectionately called the “man cave.” These lairs of
testosterone generally have the typical cliché trappings
such as large-screen televisions, pool tables, wet bars,
antler chandeliers, and the occasional portrait of dogs
playing poker. The very thought of this space is a screaming
siren of repression, and yet with such a polarized aesthetic
it’s no wonder women prefer that it remain contained.
But perhaps there is a middle ground that could end the
need for a man cave once and for all and allow the man
entrance into the rest of the house. as with the boom in
the male grooming market and the normalization of men in
the kitchen, there could also be room for male perspectives
in home décor. in fact, it makes sense that home interiors
reflect and support the people that inhabit them.
women are still the primary shoppers in american
households, regardless of the quantity of time actually
spent at home. and while the gap in spending has
narrowed, we don’t see it evaporating overnight. However, it
has become apparent that the average american man has
grown more sophisticated and more interested in the inner-
workings of their homes than ever. They change diapers and
do the dishes. They prepare meals and vacuum the rug. They
are a greater presence in the household goods marketplace
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

6. But perhaps there is a middle ground that could end
the need for a man cave once and for all and allow the
man entrance into the rest of the house.
than ever, and therefore deserve the attention of the a man might feel more strongly about the way his shampoo
business community. However, this doesn’t mean everything smells versus what color his toaster is. However, it is crucial
needs to be t-bones and lug nuts. To sway from one pole to to understand what this man values about both of these
the other would simply ignore the complexity of the market products. The man of the house is clearly not what he used
and shift from alienating one target for the sake of another. to be, and as his level of interaction grows in the kitchen,
a more sensible approach would be to take the genders out the bathroom, and all places domestic, his perception of the
of the equation altogether by defining the attitudes and products that fill these spaces will change. In order to best
sensibilities they hold in common. The new american home capitalize on your market as a whole, we recommend a strong
is one of co-habitation, and there is an aesthetic that can understanding of these perceptions in order to appropriately
appeal to both sexes. align your messaging. Traditional gender roles are blurring,
and as the home increasingly becomes a shared space,
impliCationS for thE markEtEr product solutions are blurring as well.
as brand managers and marketers, the responsibility falls arE mEn “CloSEt USErS” of YoUr prodUCtS?
on you to tread this gender line and define your targeting
approach. as a part of this process, you should ask yourself long before the metrosexual drove the men’s grooming
several questions from the outset in order to determine industry into exponential growth, men still took showers with
a thoughtful and appropriate course of action. your soap. However, quite often they resorted to using shampoo
products may be varied, and each will have its own criteria and body washes packaged and scented for women.
when benchmarking against your competitors and the These reluctant users often bashfully hid their purchases
marketplace. However, through a few simple questions you from fellow shoppers at the checkout aisle, and tucked
will be able to frame your decisions in a perspective most them away in the cabinets of their own homes to avoid
relevant to your circumstances. the ridicule of their friends. while this phenomenon has
dissipated in the grooming market, it is still ever present in
do YoU UndErStand who thE nEw malE ConSUmEr iS? less evolved categories such as baby products and cleaning
supplies. as a brand manager, one of your chief concerns
while we have provided some context to the environment
should be how your customers value and relate to your
from which this emerging market segment has been born,
products. if your product proposition elicits insecurity and
the complexities of human character go well beyond the
shame, then perhaps it is time to revisit your strategy.
boundaries of this paper. There is a bevy of websites,
studies, and secondary research already available to help ShoUld YoU rEpoSition in ordEr t0 attraCt thE
familiarize you with this group. However, a directed primary
nEw malE; invESt in nEw prodUCtS, EXtEnSionS, or
study of your own is the best way to learn first-hand what
dirECtEd markEting to attraCt him; or ignorE him
evolved gender roles mean to your brand and what core
altogEthEr?
consumer insight is a significant jumping-off point.
This is the question that cuts to the heart of the issue:
do YoU UndErStand how thE “man of thE hoUSE”
what do you do about it? if you have determined that an
intEraCtS with YoUr prodUCtS?
opportunity exists for your brand, ignorance should not
The answer to this question is undoubtedly going to differ be an option. so how do you proceed without degrading
just as much from sKu to sKu as it will from brand to brand. your carefully built equity? last year, dove veered from its
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

7. endnotes:
1. newman, A. (2008, August 11). comfort zone as the leading provider of women’s toiletry
The Man of The House. Retrieved
July 17, 2010 from Adweek.com: products with the creation of the dove men+care brand.
http://www.adweek.com/aw/ This new line of products places an emphasis on utility,
content_display/special-reports/ technology, and identifying with masculinity through a
other-reports/e3i1e343e9ca0d
6f68bc57f2f143dd33c29?pn=8
new color palate and athletic endorsements. although this
&&imw=Y strategy is inconsistent with dove’s long held identity, it
2.Wong, e. (2009, May 16). P&G, has provided entrée to new revenue streams and increased
Dial, Unilever Target the Middle
relevance in the overall grooming industry. However, the
Man. Retrieved July 16, 2010 from
Brandweek.com subtle shift of the Head & shoulders brand, as previously
3. Future Foundation. (2008). The described, has provided strong results as well. although
Emergence of the Gastrosexual. new products and campaigns have been introduced,
Commissioned for PurAsia. Future
Foundation. they enhance and support the existing brand meaning as
4. Businessweek. (2007, January opposed to redefining it altogether. Whether one approach
3). The Food Network: The New is better than the other is debatable, but together they
MTV? Retrieved July 17 2010 from
msn.com:
illustrate the range of options available.
http://articles.moneycentral.
msn.com/Investing/extra/ The question of how to engage is the
IsFoodnetworkthenewMtV.aspx
5. daddyshome, Inc. (2009).
most crucial decision you will make in
Convention Quotes. Retrieved
August 9, 2010, from
accounting for these new customers.
athomedadconvention.com:
your steps should be calculated yet
http://athomedadconvention.com/
convention_quotes.php unafraid. men are growing more accepted
6. PRnewswire. (2010, June 17).
New Manofthehouse.com Study
in their new roles, and as a marketer your
Explores Changing Roles of Dads
in the Family. Retrieved June 21,
acceptance might be what defines your
2010 from PGInvestor.com:
brand in this new household. However,
http://www.pginvestor.com/
phoenix.zhtml?c=104574&p=irol- failure to recognize this opportunity might
newsArticle&Id=1439336
be what causes you to be left behind.
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer

8. anthem worldwide, a schawk strategic design company,
is an integrated global network that provides innovative
solutions to articulate, unify and manage brand impact.
anthem creates compelling brand experiences by aligning
its strategic, creative and executional talent worldwide with
the business needs of companies seeking a competitive
advantage. anthem offers a full range of branding and
design services.
For more information on anthem, please visit
http://www.anthemww.com.
© 2010 schawk, inc. all rights reserved. no part of
this work may be reproduced in any form without written
permission from the copyright holder. schawk is a registered
trademark of schawk, inc. The anthem logo is a trademark
By Kathy oneto, Vice President, Brand strategy; of schawk, inc. all other trademarks are the property of their
michael Bertolina, contributing writer and researcher respective owners.
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EmErging from thE man CavE: TargeTing Today’s new male consumer