The story of an industry is often a tale more of default than design. That is, when we step back and trace the evolution of an industry, we typically see that things ‘are the way they are’, because that’s just how the dominoes have fallen. There was no sophisticated Master Plan, no conscious effort to steer things one way, or another – the pieces just seemingly fell into place.
This phenomenon – and a very common one at that – is, quite frankly, not always a problem. Not when the default designcontinues to run on sound business fundamentals of delivering customer value and generating worthwhile profit (in that order).
But when it’s not working – when the default design ends up harming an entire industry and its customers instead of helping it, then it’s more than a problem, it’s a http://nottspolicepipeband.co.uk It not only deprives established industry players of the opportunity to excel and profit to their full potential, but at the same time, it forces new industry entrants to adopt the dysfunctional habits, strategies and philosophies of those already operating in that space.
In short: when the default approach to business isn’t working, it robs everyone involved – from those who sell, to those who buy. We’ve heard of win win scenarios. Well, this is a lose lose scenario. And one of the costliest places that this systemic problem rears its ugly head, is none other than the Beauty Industry.
The Beauty Industry’s Multi-Billion Dollar Broken Promise to Men
The Beauty Industry is, at least in theory, all about delivering value and improving the lives of its customers. It’s about helping customers look and feel more vibrant, attractive, and confident. It’s also about protecting their health, diminishing, or preventing the signs of aging, thwarting environmental damage and more. Indeed, when it comes to the promisesthat various industries make to its customer base, it’s not an exaggeration to say that few make pledges as bold, as sophisticated, and as seductive, as the Beauty Industry.
The promise that Masculine Men deserve from the Beauty Industry should say:
“We, the Beauty Industry, care about and respect the billions of MEN who make up approximately 50% of the global population. To demonstrate this care, we will design Masculine Face Care™ (men’s skin care and men’s anti-aging) products exclusively for them, and then we will deliver those products in a manner, and in a location, that align with their masculine preferences and nature. When we accomplish this, we will deliver on our promise to provide value to our customers, and as a result, we will succeed and profit independently as individual companies, and together as an industry.”
Unfortunately – and by default rather than design – the Beauty Industry didn’t only fail to deliver on these promises, it never bothered to make them in the first place! In fact, the Beauty Industry didn’t just give up on men, it actually Declared War on Masculinity – which is an even greater gaffe.
And those of you who work within the Beauty Industry know this awful truth.
Instead, the very limited attention that the Beauty Industry pays to masculine men is geared towards women. That’s why up to 70% of men’s skincare products are bought by women for their men.
And again – it’s by default, not by design. It’s just ‘the way things are’ in the Beauty Industry. It’s how they’ve always been – It’s how they’ll always be. Unless someone boldly stands up, points a finger at this gaping problem, and states loud enough for those with the foresight and courage to hear: Masculine Men Matter to the Beauty Industry!
Why Masculine Men Matter to the Beauty Industry
Fundamentally, there are two answers to this:
Reason #1: The Men’s grooming segment consistently out-performs all others in the personal care category, with particularly high growth in the men’s skincare and men’s anti-aging segment. As such, it’s not as if the Beauty Industry has to create momentum in the marketplace, it’s already there despite the industry’s systemic neglect.
Make no mistake – this growth isn’t the result of the Beauty Industry’s efforts to respond to the needs of masculine men. In fact, the Beauty Industry routinely attributes this upward trend to the perceived success of its campaigns (or schemes, some might say) to feminizemen, in addition to recruiting women to do its bidding.
Reason #2: This niche market segment is astonishingly untapped and under-served. There are millions of masculine men out there with billions of dollars that they want to, or would want to spend and in turn boost the profits of Beauty Industry players of all sizes.
But they can’t – because the Beauty Industry is so hell bent on feminizing men, no one’s paying attention to the willing and able pool of masculine men who REFUSE to be ‘feminized’ and who are ready to pledge their allegiance to an industry player that respects their masculinity, by taking his nature, his needs and his preferences to heart and manifesting them into reality – IF that player would only present itself!
As bizarre as this all sounds: a phenomenally huge untapped market worth billions of dollars, an entire industry that shrugs its shoulders with indifference, and Not Onebeauty industry player with the foresight and courage to challenge the status quo. It’s critical to remember that we’re talking about default rather than design. It’s not as if there is an organized conspiracy within the Beauty Industry against men. It’s not that dramatic.
Beauty Industry to Masculine Men: You Will Be Assimilated Into the Female Collective. Resistance is Futile.
Really, the truth is strangely ordinary. For decades, the Beauty Industry has targeted everything, from product to design to marketing to distribution to promotions, to one gender only: women – previous issues of this article series examined the financial aspects behind this practice. And now that there’s a massive untapped market of masculine men, it’s struggling mightily to turn the ship around and focus on them.