Maybe as we head into the final stretch of 2011 there’s something interesting happening. I’m referring to the comeback that we’re seeing in the advertising community when it comes to the male of the species.
As many of you recall, we conducted a special survey – 13,000 respondents strong – back in January, specially designed to tell the guy story. “Marketing to Men” was a hit, covered by Bloomberg Businessweek, Yahoo! Finance, and Forbes, as well as the San Francisco Business Times, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and the Boston Business Journal, along with hundreds of other publications and websites. It made the rounds in eMarketer’s Digital Intelligence and MediaPost’s Marketing Daily.
The venerable 4As checked it out, as did Harmelin Media, McCann Erickson, Digitas, and Leo Burnett. We heard from everyone from HSBC to the Cartoon Network to ESPN to the U.S. Postal Service. And when I tell you there was a bit of a “bromance” with Floor Covering News, Sleep Savvy, and the Musician’s Network, all of which quoted “Marketing To Men” findings, you know there was something going on.
Yes, those humans with the XY chromosomes made something of a comeback in 2011. Head & Shoulders went the guy route with a Joe Mauer TV spot. Not to be outdone, Tide went down this same path in a popular Super Bowl commercial. Old Navy started targeting men with dresslikeaguy.com, Frosted Flakes skewed their advertising to guys with a nice father/son spot, while Dr. Pepper launched “Ten,” advertised with this positioning statement: “It’s Not For Women.”
But it hasn’t been as easy letting your girlfriend see that Jennifer Aniston movie while you walk next door for another hit of Fast & Furious. That’s because this marketing tenet is still on the lips and in the minds of media buyers and account managers everywhere:
“Women control at least 80% or more of household spending.”
That’s a tough truth for any male-oriented product to get around, except for one problem: it’s not true.
The Wall Street Journal columnist, Carl Bialik, exposed this myth last April in an article entitled “Who Makes The Call At The Mall, Men Or Women?” Noting that this belief is quoted all over the advertising industry, Bialik asked a number of marketing gurus about its veracity. Ira Mayer, publisher of the “Marketing To Women” newsletter, commented, “There is never any sourcing of the number. It’s become accepted folklore.”
Except that it’s a load of crap in the same way that when people hear rumors repeated enough times, they become facts. Most marketers link the 80% figure to Marti Barletta (pictured), a consultant who specializes in women. Her 2002 book Marketing To Women makes that claim that women “handle 80% to 90% of spending and purchasing in the household.”
There’s just one problem. When Bialik asked her to back up that claim, she replied that “it is sadly one of those rules-of-thumb numbers that everyone in the industry uses.”
The problem is that every piece of research you see – including ours – refutes this claim again and again. And even some traditionally female brands are changing their thinking. Coach is now looking to guys for new business. Their men’s Facebook page has more than 14,000 “likes,” indicating that men are not dead to fashion.
It gets better – according to ABC News, a brand new National Retail Federation survey tracked Black Friday shopping patterns. Here’s what they found:
More men than women went shopping on Black Friday weekend, and men outspent women.
It’s a whole new day for guys – and stations that target them. Arm yourself with data, push back when you hear those nonsensical claims, trumpet your virtues, and stand up for your male audience.
Oh, and here’s a little dessert for every sales department that represents a male audience. Among guys who play some role in holiday purchases, they are especially likely to wait for the last week – and even the last minute to do their Christmas shopping. This is particularly true for single guys, nearly a third of the men in our sample. They need guidance as they embark on the tough terrain of the mall in the waning moments before St. Nick takes to the air. Smart retailers – and smarter radio sales staffs – will seize that moment and generate some important revenue at year’s end.
The world is changing, and men are re-establishing their sense of value in the marketplace. The facts – not myths – tell an important story.
Men are the new women.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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