The emergence of male vanity is nothing new. Gone are the days when men do not patron shopping malls and shun away from beauty products and grooming boutiques. 20 years ago, male fashion, skin care and beauty in general were only associated with gay men. But now, more urban young straight men are taking notice and marketers are mining this opportunity.
According to an article in Adage.com, “Mark Wahlberg's semi-naked appearance for Calvin Klein underwear in the early 1990s is often cited as the beginning of mainstream male vanity. Marketing legend has it that the ad was aimed at a gay market, but straight men took notice. Whether it was because of his legion of girl fans or some men who thought the look was cool, Calvin Klein sparked off a new trend of low slung jeans to show off the underwear. It became a fashion statement, cult clubwear and marked a milestone for male vanity.
Recently in the US, much talk was given to novelty underwear. In a NYTimes.com article last week, David Colman highlighted how novelty underwear has turned into a serious business. Novelty underwear is shaking the US$ 1.1 billion men’s knit-underwear market (excluding boxers) as it is capturing significant share. These briefs, in bright colours and zany prints with new materials and daring cuts, are reportedly undermining the classic white brief’s status as “king of the hill”. Further it was mentioned that in 2006, ‘white’s share of the market dipped below 50 percent for the first time in decades'.
Expressions of male vanity has eventually been cemented as an important target segment - “metrosexuals”. Mark Simpson, an UK journalist, coined this term to represent the type of man who is concerned about his image and takes great interest in his appearance. This segment is epitomized by the likes of David Beckham & Brad Pitt from the West as well as Rain & Takeshi Kaneshiro from Asia.
In Singapore, the growing importance of reaching the male target is undeniable. It is reflected by the entry of more male skincare and beauty brands and also the launch of male magazine titles (Lexean in February 2007, Arena in September 2006). These titles provide more fashion and beauty coverage to feed the needs of this target segment. In doing so, they attract advertisers who are reaching out to them.
Source of Beauty Information
InsightsDNA reveals that these metrosexual men are more likely to use direct mail, radio, cable and internet as key sources of beauty information. Although these men are becoming more open to beauty, they do not talk about it within close peers and relatives. Insights DNA highlights that family members and friends rank the lowest for information source. This suggests that our home grown metrosexuals are still socially discrete about their vanity.
Place to purchase skincare
Specific to some categories, according to the Insights DNA study, Singaporean men are more likely to get their skincare products in supermarkets and discount stores. This could signify current usage of mass products more than luxury and specialist brands. However, their girlfriends and wives may be splurging for their beauty needs.
1st Motivation to change
The technical and practical tendencies of the metrosexuals are reflected in their usage of beauty products. They are less mindful of fragrance and quality but they are highly motivated to change to another brand when the product is under a special promotion. As this segment seldom changes their brands, a way to make them try is through promotions like special gifts with purchase. This is key motivation for them to change as they are more practical and straightforward in choosing their skin products.
Men’s beauty in Singapore is still not as extreme as in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In Singapore, although the city is cosmopolitan, Singaporeans are fairly conservative on male beauty and the society’s perception on masculinity is still traditional. The pressure for men to look “beautiful” is lesser in Singapore unlike the other cities. For local men who push the boundaries on the beauty front still risk being labelled as “gays”. You may not see your male colleague taking out their own vanity kits when they dash to the comfort rooms these days but they are definitely staying longer in front of the mirrors. For all we know these vanity kits are hidden safely in their office drawers or their messenger bags.
Source: insightsDNA Singapore 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insights DNA also provides a wealth of information such as the appeal of the
various brands, the effectiveness of various media including brochures etc. This
base of information will make media planning much more aligned to marketing needs.
|
