Adland ‘putting men under the same pressure to succeed as women’
Advertising which stereotypes male success is putting men under similar pressure to that which women have felt for years as a result of beauty advertising, delegates at Advertising Week Europe have been told.
Desouches:
Fernando Desouches, managing director at New Macho, a division of UK agency BBD Perfect Storm, focussed on marketing to men, said brands will cut through by showing there is more to being a successful male than earning lots of money.
He said: “Brands need to show a different kind of man in the same way as they have a different kind of beauty for women. Men still think they shouldn’t crack under pressure. They still define success by how much they earn. We need to show men there’s a different way to be successful, but by showing that, not making a statement about it.”
He said recent criticism of Gillette’s We believe: the best men can be campaign had demonstrated the pitfalls of a brand talking to its target audience rather than engaging with it.
“The intention was good, but they didn’t put men in the centre. By rejecting the traditional male mantra and replacing it with something more vulnerable and emotional, they fell into a progressive trap. And men rejected that because it took them out of one box and put them into another.”
Desouches added Gillette could have avoided that by connecting with men in the same emotional way as they had done traditionally.
“They could have challenged perceptions of what success means to men. That it’s too narrow and materialistic. But that doesn’t mean they need to tell us how to behave or how we should be.
It would have connected better and they had the authority to do that.”
Editor and CEO of men’s media brand The Book of Man Martin Robinson agreed the crisis in masculinity and definitions of success mean brands need to be more sensitive in how they talk to men.
He said: “Roles at home and at work are shifting and it’s important to reflect what’s happening, not just do the same thing men’s brands have always done – ‘here’s the car, here’s the suit, here’s the watch’. Look at what men’s interior lives are and the problems they’re facing.”
I do agree with the concept that men too are depicted poorly in our media and isn’t representative of the real customer out there. I’m an advocate for gender of all kinds and think that we either go man bashing or we depict men in false ways. The super successful man is one stereotype but we see men who are irresponsible, stupid, helpless, domestically challenged, and sports loving too. We all need to do better at depicting the real customer out there and stop perpetuating these stereotypes. We also need to be free that individuals can be successful, stupid, helpless, domestically challenged or love sports too but it is a fine line when it becomes a representation of all men.
The Axe (Lynx) campaign on masculinity is a very good example of representing the new masculinity. Gillette doesn’t own this space and duplicated the concept already in the market for their competitor. Gillette was doing their version of masculinity rather than owning it outright. I’ve written very early on about this and supported Gillette doing what they did despite a few flaws in it.
I don’t mean to be rude here, but I do feel Gillette as a discussion is wearing thin now. There are plenty of other brands doing interesting things out there, or not so good for the world. The intention of this piece is to remind us all that men are depicted poorly too and we need to get on top of that too. Agree 100% and that’s the real story. But there is more to it than just depicting men as a success. Axe dealt with this very well. Their ‘Is it Ok for guys’ campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WySfa7x5q0
Let’s focus as an industry on making change and doing good to right the wrongs we’ve been a part of for so long. Thanks for raising the issues men face too.
A few men rejected the Gillette ad. A few. Overwhelmingly research showed that people (including men) liked it, it significantly increased purchase intention and had no negative impact to sales as was threatened.
If you’re going to position yourself as an expert on advertising to men, then you should be more knowledgeable about the realities vs your own perceptions or what you hear in the social media echo chamber.
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Can you share the research study and metrics you refer to that found people overwhelmingly liked this ad ? I’m struggling to believe that claim.
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You’re “struggling to believe it” because it’s just not true.
The far-left progressive demographic which responds positively to identity politics including negative messages about men, like the “masculinity is toxic” framing of the Gillette ad, is only 8% of the population.
The moderate centre, which rejects identity politics and related messaging, is 80% of the population.
Gillette alienated 80% of its market in an attempt to pander to 8% of its market.
Gillette knows how much damage that campaign has done to their brand and market share, which is why the following month they dumped the feminist man-hating message of the January ad and released a new ad about a soldier/father/husband which celebrates men and masculinity.
Unfortunately, it was too little, too late – men will not forget that Gillette hates them any time soon.
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I too would like to see the overwhelming research that showed this was approved of.
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Here we ago again. When people are fighting for gender and racial equality and inclusivity, it’s ‘identity politics’ and ‘far-left progressive crazies’ out of touch with centrist mainstream.
Have you ever considered that you when not challenging the status quo you actually support male and white identity politics?
Is it really so easy to be this ridiculously ignorant and privileged, Eric?
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How do you claim to reject identity politics then praise an ad for reinforcing your identity in the same breath?
I’m not even saying that’s a bad thing. Be proud of who you are but at least be consistent about it.
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