The editors in chief and the publishers of the worldwide edition of Esquire Magazine recently met to discuss what it is like to be a man in the 21st century. While you may be wondering why this matters in marketing, it really does have a significant effect on how companies target their audiences.
Esquire is using these ideas to make a magazine that is more attractive to their audience to hopefully better relate to their readers and give them more helpful and interesting information. Esquire is also using this idea to relate to readers around the world. The editors that met discussed the idea that many American males feel that the U.S. has lost some of its authority because of some of the ways the country has handled recent issues. Such as the conflict in the Middle East or the economy issues in the homeland. Jeremy Lawrence the editor of Esquire-Middle East still believes that the rest of the world sees America as a trend setting country."They still have holiday homes in the U.S., they still drive GMC trucks.” Lawrence noted while talking about the upper class males in the Middle East.
As Antonin Herbeck, editor of Esquire Czech Republic, said of his readers: “They would all like to be more like Bradley Cooper in Limitless and less like Bradley Cooper in The Hangover. I think that’s pretty much the international goal for a young man.” This raises the questions for many companies of how they are targeting men. Designer companies like Coach are using social media to bring in new members to the target audience.
Coach started a male-targeted Facebook page five months ago that now has almost 14,000 fans. Features such as “Product of the Week” and “Did You Know?” have been used on the page, which highlights interesting facts about Coach’s product quality and brand history, such as how the inspiration for the first briefcase came from a baseball glove. These kinds of ideas is what keeps bringing in new fans and customers which ultimately will turn into more purchases. Recent “Product of the Week” items have included the Exotic Slim Billfold in shocking blue alligator skin and the Bleecker Leather Electronic Cord Zip Pouch because “Coach understands that guys can never have too many gadgets, and they all come with cords.”
These are just two examples of how companies are keeping up to date with the times and changing their approaches to not only the changing target audience, but also the changing technologies and ideas of today's American culture. Look for more studies being done on what males, and females as well, are interested in and how they go about their business on a day to day basis.
http://www.adweek.com/news/press/esquire-ponders-state-men-136599
http://www.wwd.com/media-news/digital/brands-embrace-the-nuances-of-marketing-to-men-5375156
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I think it is important for all companies to "update" their appeal towards their target audiences in order to make sure that they are successfully reaching out and getting their message across. Technology will continue to keep changing, as well as the target audience's opinions, wants and needs. Therefore, I believe that Esquire magazine is taking the right steps to make sure they are appealing to their target audience.
ReplyDeleteGender roles are changing all the time. For Esquire magazine to evaluate what it's like to be a man in the 21st century is very smart. Understanding the change from what "kind" of guy guys want to be will definitely help them solidify their target so they can et the right group of men to read their magazine. I think they are on the right track.
ReplyDeleteThis post reminds me of Dr Pepper's "It's not for Women" macho campaign.
ReplyDeleteIt's sort of similar in the fact that the reason behind this soda was research showing diet sodas were only for women. "The soft drink was developed after the company's research found that men shy away from diet drinks that aren't perceived as 'manly' enough". It's always going to be interesting how companies try to appeal to different genders; even more interesting when there is a negative response from the opposite gender ( http://www.change.org/petitions/jim-trebilcock-executive-vp-of-marketing-for-dr-pepper-stop-running-the-not-for-women-ad-campaign )