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#PortadaMex – 5 ways the Male Consumer is changing in Latin America

During the 4th Annual Foro Mexico de Publicidad y Medios (#PortadaMex) held last Tuesday in Mexico City, Daniela Martinez, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy, Research and Sales Management at A&E, was the moderator of : El perfil del consumidor masculino en América Latina panel ( Male consumer's profile in Latin America)

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During the 4th Annual Foro Mexico de Publicidad y Medios (#PortadaMex) held last Tuesday in Mexico City, Daniela Martinez, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy, Research and Sales Management at A&E, was the moderator of : El perfil del consumidor masculino en América Latina panel ( Male consumer’s profile in Latin America), Major Mexican and Latin American brand and agency executives participated in the panel: Aurora Sanabria, VP of Planning of J. Walter Thompson Mexico; Lorenzo Ruiz, General Director of Tommy Hilfiger Mexico; Jorge Inda, Marketing Manager of Corona,Grupo Modelo; Eduardo Alvarez Franyutti, Group Manager, Personal Care at P&G; César Coletti, VP Marketing, History Channel; and Ricardo Cuellar, VP Business Planning, Mindshare.

Nuestros panel de lujo

“With 15 years experience in working in Mexico, I have always thought that this was one of the most traditional cultures, but it is not. Nowadays, the country has changed: there are more women in the workplace and doing activities, in which usually men were involved,”, said Daniela Martinez, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy, Research and Sales Management at A&E, when she opened the panel.

Martinez added that men are History Channel’s main audience. “We are constantly conducting research and analysis to understand what their interests are, how we should approach them , every type of men: dads, friends and others . So, last year we finished a global study called Dudeology, which covered  18 countries, 5 of them in Latin America and 2,000 interviews were conducted in Mexico. The results were conclusive: women have taken a more central role.”

“We grouped the final results into 5 main categories, which I’ll be using to guide the panel discussion so that everyone can share their experiences of how to manage and take advantage of these opportunities that “the new men” are offering , Martinez noted.

  1. The multidimensional man
  2. The household man
  3. The man concerned about his appearance
  4.  New male roles
  5. The virtual man cave

1.The Multidimensional Man

Reflects how boundaries between genders have been erased. Men’s roles and priorities have expanded, seeking greater balance between their personal and professional lives. Nowadays, men are able to provide and also nurture, they can have a competitive spirit and also be considerate to other persons. It is not just an external change, it is also internal. These days, men and women are the same level in Mexico. Priorities and roles have changed, and this has been agreed.”

Aurora Sanabria: “Surely, this multifaceted man is not something that existed 20 years ago. Two thirds of respondents’ felt responsible not only about the physical well-being of their children, but also the emotional well-being. Some women already earn more than men do. So when it comes to prioritizing, men often spend more time with their children; and this situation is leading men to question many parts of their life.”

Many brands and products have been approaching the Multidimensional Man: As the following video (part of Cherrios campaign) shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GYxH2-WeZY

How is this multidimensional man perceived by P&G? Eduardo Alvarez Franyutti has been behind several campaigns for products including diapers.  Moderator Daniela Martinez asked him how he has been communicating or reaching out to this new man?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrzFEMIy_dM

Eduardo Alvarez Franyutti : “How did this all start? “Some time ago, women represented only a 10% of the workforce; nowadays it is 50%. For that reason, nowadays roles are shared. It happens in all aspects of life: from family care to who is in charge of going to do the shopping. This has changed a lot given women’s integration into the labor force. Today, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day are equally celebrated, and this also implies that  men are now allowed to be emotional.”

Not to fall behind, its’ competitor Huggies also developed a campaign that appeals to the emotions of Latin American 21 century men:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGOMhB7zdMA

How has History  Channel refined its content strategy to reflect these blurred lines between the genders,? Daniela Martinez asked.

César Coletti: “It was easier before, when we targeted the type of man who usually gathers with friends, but today’s man is more complex.  There are new programs aimed at a complex man, where the family already has a central role. This is a more intellectual man who communicates differently. This represents a great business opportunity. Communication is more complex: is about understanding and responding to different stimuli.”

Lorenzo Ruiz: ” It is a privilege to now be able speak to a man who has incorporated concepts such as lifestyle, health care …and is no longer a caveman, but emotional. The challenge arises out of the unpredictability of  men. For Brands, speaking to a multifaceted man is challenge.”

2.The household man

“Responsibilities have been expanded; housework is no longer just for women. Men agree on women leading important positions in the labor force, and being the main source of income for their households. Now men are portrayed as capable of doing housework.”

A&E’s Daniela Martinez  asked how Mexican beer giant Grupo Modelo is dealing deal with the new “household man”?

Jorge Inda: “This is a very exciting moment for marketing. There has been a role alteration never seen before, which has redefined masculinity, and connectivity has also been influenced by this redefinition. Everything is monitored and exposed. The man is becoming less stereotyped, less cliché.”

Ricardo Cuellar: “Internet has changed the world and, of course, men as well. Nowadays men share what they cook and how they have a break up with their girlfriend. It doesn’t longer matter to be the strongest and most athletic male, but to be different. So you have to adapt and be creative, not just with the message but on how media strategies arise.”

César Coletti: “It is all about the content. Some things do not change. It would be very unlikely to see a tough biker shed a tear; that’s the old concept. But the new man has no fear of shedding any tear.”

Eduardo Alvarez Franyutti: “One must be aware of product lines: A different environment is a challenge on how to sell products. Today it is more important to remember what this product does. Today’s messages are differentiated and there are different manners to reach different groups of buyers.”

3- The man concerned about his appearance

According to Paulo Stephan, CEO of Talent, one of the largest agencies in Brazil, and author of “Los hombres cambiaron” (Men have changed), the change in men regarding their appearance stems from an internal change to be more healthy. Another driver for the concern about their appearance is the competition with other males.

Eduardo Alvarez Franyutti: “P&G has launched many specific lines for men, emphasizing the importance of appearance. According to a study by Gillette, 43% of men in Mexico shave parts of their bodies that are not their beards … Macho, metrosexual? Maybe it’s the neosexual, which is the male that innovates, although they would not admit it.”

Aurora Sanabria: “It’s a matter of communication. Nowadays we can only talk of those clichés and stereotypes.”

Lorenzo Ruiz: “Before one thought of more general offers; today offers are individualized. We cannot treat consumers like idiots. Today consumers are informed. Men have already left traditional brands.”

4.New Male Roles

“This brings me to talk about new male models used in TV, ads, etc. Ancient rude supermachos are now shown from a different perspective,” Daniela Martinez noted in order to get the panel to talk about the fourth perspective (“New Male Role”).

Jorge Inda: “This is empathy. To communicate with today’s men you must speak of their passions, in a relevant and contemporary way.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XenAz2TsKg

“The identity is generated in social networks. It is about approaching today’s man from the perspective of the role he plays in society.”

An example is the below campaign”No te hagas güey”, which doesn’t talk of stereotypes but to be responsible.”

5-The virtual man cave

Men are still men, still talking about sports, women, technology … but now their conversations also go further. At the same time, they no longer have much time to meet, so they take advantage of virtual interaction.

César Coletti: “The conversation is wider, especially in networks where there is a higher and more passionate interaction. Yesterday’s Formulas  do not work today. Men talks are different and not so simple.”

Aurora Sanabria: “We should consider the pattern of new families. The traditional family is not so traditional. At the age of 60 a new sweet phase of life begins , people fall in love and marry again.. While all changes in men are true, the cave is still there. There is an inherent thing. Men like to enjoy the basics, the testosterone. They like women, play soccer, the basics.”

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