The ‘demetrosexualization’ of men’s grooming
Not long ago, metrosexual was the “in” thing, its image defined by such celebrities as actor George Clooney, soccer player David Beckham and the rock band The Killers. Personal care for men went beyond the usual showering, shaving and deodorant and branched into skin care and color coordination, withering taboos that forbade men from using such products. The personal care industry followed suit.
It didn’t take long for a backlash to form, though. An opposite extreme called “retrosexual” emerged—in other words, Homer Simpson chic. But the expanded market for men’s personal care products has not disappeared and probably won’t, according to a report released in May by Euromonitor International.
“The growth in men’s spending on beauty trends is not a fad, but a definite sustainable trend,” the report stated. “The social taboos around men’s grooming continue to break down, and more men will be willing to spend on skin care products that are targeted specifically at them, creating very strong opportunities for mass products.”
Euromonitor’s research appeared consistent with the activities of a number of companies, including Nivea, which recently expanded the Nivea for Men.
“Our target is the man who wants to look and feel good on the inside and out, while still retaining all the qualities that come with being a man,” said Joe Venezia, marketing director for the product line. “We specifically designed products that are easy-to-use and effective, while being masculine.”
Nivea’s history with men’s grooming has deep roots. In 1922, it began marketing its first shaving soap. In the early 1990s, it became one of the first companies to capitalize on what would later become known as the metrosexual market.
But while metrosexual products often have been almost indistinguishable from their counterparts for women, Nivea for Men products offer a more toned-down approach.
“We focus on a very specific target group to provide products for men who don’t want to spend too much time on grooming, but want to still look good,” Venezia said, adding that Nivea first launched the line to provide an effective lotion with a more masculine scent.
Unilever has sought to enter the market, as well, with its Vaseline Men line of products. The products, which include lotions for the hands, face and body and a version of Lever 2000 soap with Vaseline, emphasize skin care while also playing down appeals to metrosexual consumers, noting that 17 percent of men regularly moisturize their bodies, compared with 51 percent of women.
If Nivea and Vaseline have toned down the metrosexual aspect of their products, Dial has gone to the opposite extreme with Dial for Men.
Dial makes it clear that it isn’t after metrosexual dollars with the product’s Web site, which opens with a wood-paneling background, a cartoon of a heavyset, hairy man and the trademarked slogan, “Maintenance for Your Mansuit.” In its “Official Unofficial Rulebook of Man,” the site advised: “No man smells pretty. Never tell him that,” “Hand towels never have to coordinate with anything,” and “If you can’t pick it up and eat it, it can’t be your favorite food.” Meanwhile, the TV ad shows all the symbols of American masculinity: football players, loggers, bowling and arm wrestling.
“The ‘manly man’ area was a definite white space when Dial for Men launched,” said Laura Skibba, senior product manager for Dial Body Wash. “And just because you are a manly man doesn’t mean you still don’t want to look and smell good.”
According to an August 2007 report published by the Institute for the Study of American Popular Culture, ABC’s “Good Morning America” proclaimed the demise of the metrosexual as a segment in 2006. Still, reports of the metrosexual fad’s demise appear at least somewhat exaggerated, at least in other countries.
Superdrug, one of the United Kingdom’s largest health and beauty retailers, announced that on Aug. 6, it would begin marketing a line of makeup for men under Taxi Cosmetics’ brand that includes male versions of eyeliner and mascara.
“We’ve developed essentials that a guy would perhaps normally borrow from his other half,” Taxi’s Peter Kelly said in a statement. “It’s about subtle makeup rather than wanting to create the drag queen look.”