Changing nature of man

We all know that today's consumers cannot be lumped into one general group and reached through a "one-size-fits-all' formula. This same method applies to the way marketers should approach what an increasingly complex male market.

While not as heavily targeted as their female counterparts, men today are equally obsessed with looking good, and perceptions about the use of skin care products, luxury clothing items, self help and improvement products, have waned. It's also because of this that marketers and media companies are today making a big pitch to the male consumer of all types and persuasions.

Kara Yang, director of strategic planning at Leo Burnett, says you can not lump men into one large group.

"I think definitely you can't lump them into one stereotyped group," she says.

"In a way I still think that quite a few brands stereotyping men and still want to portray one side of man, which is always about man in a very traditional way. Chinese men very much define masculinity not by how much weight they can lift or by how much beer they can drink, but more about how much money they can make and what career stage are they in their life. That is still being portrayed in most communications," she adds.

The explosion of magazines like men's uno, Maxim, Esquire, HIM and more recently lads magazines is testament to the strength of this market.

"How we talk to men can no longer be only driven by demography, age and geographic location. We need to engage in their cultural lives & understand the mindset that drives brand choices," Charu Harish, regional communications planning director Grey Asia Pacific, says.

But it's not just only the magazines realising the spending power of the male market.

Sports networks like ESPN have placed a heavy focus on the men's market for a number of years.

"We have been tracking our diverse male audience and their evolving needs with regards to sports and entertainment across markets for many years," Paras Sharma, regional director of marketing & corporate communications for ESPN and STAR Sports, says.

"Through our research, we have been able to recognise that male sports fans are not a homogeneous audience. We have therefore, worked towards creating and presenting content that is meaningful, informative, relevant and entertaining to this wide and varied audience base."

Sharma says that tailoring the network's content to many segments of the male market is necessary today. He adds that along with the changing nature of the men's market, the way men also consume media has evolved.

ESPN places a big emphasis on targeting men via its online and mobile portals, with online extensions to its TV programs such as the Nokia Football Crazy and additional content through Star Sports Mobile.

"ESPN STAR Sports aims to reach consumers at any time, any place through any pipe and any device, and our differentiated offerings are also reflected on these platforms," Sharma adds.

"On the mobile front, we have mobile ESPN and STAR Sports Mobile, both of which deliver differentiated mobile content targeted at specific audiences.

"This integrated approach reflected through our branding, programming, scheduling and marketing is offered to clients and brands who want to reach out to different sets of male audiences."

The neglected sex

While there have been many studies focusing on women's marketing, few focus on marketing to men. A recent study titled, The Neglected Sex, from advertising agency Leo Burnett, explored the evolving definition of masculinity, especially among males aged 30 to 45 years.

The study delivers insights into how men, particularly in China, see themselves in a fast evolving society and how changes to women's status at work and at home have also manifested in men returning to traditional views of masculinity.

"As marketers, we need to delve deeper into what drives and interests the people we present our client's brands to, every day," Eddie Booth, chairman, Leo Burnett Greater China, says.

Kara Yang, says the study uncovered three distinct segments of the male market in Hong Kong. Proud men, or those who feel very secure in their masculinity; Insecure, or males who are still climbing the corporate ladder and the Relaxed segment, which consist of men who simply enjoy life.

"If you're looking at above-the-line advertising, there's not a whole lot targeting men. Because of women status in the work place and also because women can achieve the same career and money, a lot of marketers have put effort into promoting women and have paid little attention to men, if any.

"Just look at the media spending and the different categories of products out there, you will notice that the majority of it is targeting women. That's why we came out with the report called The Neglected Sex, because in a way men have been neglected," Yang says.

Rather than arguing that men are misunderstood, Yang argues that men have by and large been overlooked.

Grey Worldwide research breaks the male market down even further into five separate segments or tribes based on how men think, feel and react to brands.

"Micro targeting and affinity marketing are the reality for brands today and these Asian tribes reflected in the Eye [Eye on Asia research] help us deliver future facing strategies that are engaging and enduring," Harish says. 

Yang also argues that in some way, men have been easier to target in Hong Kong, given the general acceptance of personal grooming.

"In some ways Hong Kong has always been a little bit easier to market to men. Hong Kong are more metrosexual compared to the western man. We grew up in an environment that's quite close to Japanese culture and in Japanese culture men are pretty well groomed."

A earlier Leo Burnett study titled Metro vs Retro, explores the evolving state of masculinity and examines the many opportunities for marketers.

The research highlights the complex and often contradictory attitudes of men and highlights how men's sense of identity has changed, due to the changes that are taking place across the globe.

"We appear to be witnessing a new experience of male insecurity and confusion," the report shows. Half of all men in the research agreed that their role in society was unclear.

"In recent decades, the world has witnessed some dramatic social changes. These changes have disrupted men's roles and affected their notions of masculinity. The shift from manufacturing to information economies, the arrival of empowered women in the workplace, new patterns of consumption and evolved family dynamics have had a deep impact on men's lives," the study found.

Targeting the pink dollar

Another characteristic of the male market is the spectacular rise and longevity of the metrosexual trend, which has seen a remarkable shift in how marketers target and communicate with the male audience.

Dominic Yeo, CEO of Trevvy, says the gap between gay and heterosexual men has narrowed, significantly, with large corporate brands like L'Oreal and Adidas realising the influence and spending power the gay consumer holds.

Marketing to the gay community, or the so-called pink dollar, is no longer regarded as a mere subgroup of the male market, Yeo says.

"There's a general trend that gay people tend to be more of the trendsetters because they are early adopters of certain fashions and certain trends," Yeo says.

"Asia is lagging a bit behind the US markets, about two years, in terms of advertising trends and marketing trends."

A recent study into the spending power of the gay community showed that this "niche" audience are willing to spend vast sums on lifestyle-related items from fashion and art to travel.

The Pageanta Co study found gay men were much more likely to use their income for personal grooming and health and lifestyle related products.

"Their buying power is undeniable," Yuko Hakoishi, author and president of the Pageanta study, says.

Yeo adds that a marketing investment targeting the gay community is not lost on the wider male segment.

"An investment of marketing to the gay consumer is not just money spent on reaching out to that segment of consumers. If you can convince this set of consumers that your product is really trendy and sets the tone for the mainstream as well.

"Products that are actively advertised to gay people do get noticed. You do get certain products where gay people are early adopters, but then you see those same products enter the mainstream.

"Men who think these products are cool and really trendy are picking up these trends from the gay community who also embrace the same products," he adds.

But of course you can't talk about marketing to men without talking about the main essential ingredient: beer. Beer advertisers are among some of the most active in the men's marketing sector and also among the worst offenders of male stereotypes.

Breweries including Asia Pacific Breweries, which owns the Tiger beer brand, also see great value in aligning alcohol with sports.

A recent Tiger Beer campaign launched on ESPN Star Sports and Starhub's Football Channel is one example.

"We have always strived to connect with and engage our viewers as we play up Tiger's association with football through all its communications," Edmond Neo, general manager, group commercial, Asia Pacific Breweries, says.

"This time, it is our intention to make Tiger an integral part of football and thus the concept of Tiger delivering the moves and techniques of the game was conceived. We believe that this new concept will strike yet another chord with our viewers thereby enabling Tiger to make a more intimate connection with its consumers."