The Evolution of Man

June 13, 2014

Marketing to MenWith Father’s Day just around the corner there has been much talk about the evolution of the modern man and today’s dads. So who is the modern man and what does he want?

We were curious too since much of our work and many of Ketchum’s clients focus on the male consumer.  So we asked 900 men in the U.S., age 18-49, to probe how they talk about relationships, sex, health, appearance and careers. We validated some ideas and also made some interesting discoveries.

The headline – we’ve stepped out of the cave!

Men are making more and more household buying decisions for their families and for themselves. They are increasingly comfortable talking with male friends about personal issues such as love, relationships and health, and many say they want to be even more open and honest with their buddies.

Of particular note are some marked differences emerging within the millennial generation that has garnered so much of marketers’ attention of late. That’s right, all millennial males are not created equal so stereotype at your own risk.

This research serves as a powerful reminder to marketers about the importance of audience insights, and how crucial it is to delve into this complex and diverse demographic — not just assume that “guys will be guys”.

For more details on our findings, please take a minute to check out our Language of Men video and share your comments or additional thoughts on this topic with me in the comments section below.