Levelus is not a real product, it’s a design concept only—but a clever one at that.

Not Just a Game of Two Halves

Mass market versus indie—which really has the power to shape the future of men’s grooming?

Written by Jonathan Ford, Pearlfisher

At the time of writing, World Cup fever is gripping the planet. And, while we know that many of our fairer sex are also footie/soccer supporters, it has handed brand and marketing teams an opportunity on a plate for targeting a truly captive male audience. With Nivea For Men serving as the official male grooming supplier to the England Football Team, it did get me thinking about the development of male grooming and personal care in general.

A couple of years ago, we started to see a shift in brand innovation and brand design away from the stereotypical to the recognition of the metrosexual. But the mass market (dominated by brand leaders Nivea For Men and L’Oréal Men) did seem to plateau, and it is only now that we are seeing a re-galvanization here. Maybe this is due to the innovation and creativity of a slew of new indie and artisan brands that are rising through the ranks and really making their presence felt. So who now really has the power to shape the future and move this market forward?

Which Position Do You Play?

Just as with our female counterparts, many more of our brand giants are now relying on famous sports stars or celebrity actors’ faces in their print and TV ads (such as Chris Noth for L’Oréal Men) to reel us in, with their packaging and point of sale (POS) seemingly the secondary consideration.

But there are some left field exceptions that continue to delight and surprise. For example, “enfant terrible” Jean Paul Gaultier has done it again with his new Super Le Mâle fragrance.

The superhero jersey hugs the muscular torso of the perfume bottle, while the transparent plastic cylinder reveals a comic strip story depicting a damsel in distress being rescued by our superhero. This plays to our imagination and “let’s pretend” alterego.

Innovative brands such as Gaultier are trying to get to the heart of the individual male psyche in terms of who they are or who they may want to be. They are not afraid to be bold, fun and playful but, although different, there is still a certain level of finger pointing and pigeonholing. They are stylish in their own way but maybe too dictatorial to attract many.

Midfield

Skeyndor Men (from Spain) seems to be focusing on the more emotive values of the male grooming category by harnessing masculinity, elegance, sensuality and vitality. They are also not forgetting the role of purchaser that women have in this sector by ensuring that the packaging is also attractive for her. New Lierac Homme looks very similar to Skeyndor, but sells itself on its Skinpower 5 Formula—“high performance for the most demanding men”—using five different mineral compositions throughout the product range.

However, while Lierac and Skeyndor embrace style and less “in-your-face” and traditional male values, they are still, to an extent, mimicking the Cliniques and Clarins of this world by playing it safe with muted tones, metallic typefaces and regular structures. And, in this way, maybe they’re being just as stereotypical as the more radical offers.

A Skilled Strike

However, an overwhelming rise of artisanal and bespoke brands across every single market sector is also making its presence felt in the beauty world, with the male sector embracing its fair share.

Bulldog was one of the trailblazers in the UK as the first natural and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection—non-animal testing) approved skin care range for men. The team behind the brand understood that their consumers are generally more eco-conscious and men are just as concerned about what they put on their skin as women are. The design with the Bulldog icon shows not just its British roots but its strength, tenacity and force. No disputing that this is not a range for girls…it has ideals, but is also tough and individual.

Hair care is another sector where men seem to get the thin end of the wedge. Newcomer D:fi Hair Care has been developed specifically for men—to allow them to “modify your look, make yourself different and invent your own attitude…” A classic but simple and contemporary structural and graphic solution is coupled with play-on-word naming, which lifts the mood for products such as d:struct pliable molding creme and d:stroyed conditioner.

There are also several design concepts I have come across and which I really hope are brought to market.

Art.Lebedev Studio in Moscow has developed a novel concept with the design of a bottle for a new male fragrance created specifically for the carpentry profession. Called Levelus, the tongue-in-cheek design concept is sleek and a feat of structural engineering (with the level as an actual working tool). Ironically, it feels very premium but also very gimmicky.

From Poland, Inkwell Fragrances are inspired by the dark and distinctive characters and famous male authors of literary classics. The white inkwell packaging has strong, black lettering and the tops are heads of characters that loosely recall the author’s famous masterpieces.

Meanwhile, Canadian student John Larigakis has designed a line of quality shaving supplies called Henkell, with a compact, wooden storage system included as an integral part of the overall packaging solution and intended to be used as a permanent method for organization.

From the novel and playful, to the exquisitely beautiful and sophisticated, to the eco-friendly and handcrafted, these artisan brands are about showcasing the move away from uniformity of the mass to this true artisan, unique and intimate “specialness.”

Four, Four, Two…

These new brands are creating definitive products and harnessing the elegant simplicity of an extreme attention to detail in both the product and package design rather than just following a stock formula. But is it really possible to create this level of artisanal intimacy when you’re a P&G, a L’Oréal or any other major international player? Or, in truth, is this something that simply gets “bought in” aka Estée Lauder and Kiehl’s. The challenge is obvious: It’s about treading a very careful path to harness a special individuality without alienating the masses.

The brand giants are now taking notice and looking for ways to adopt this approach. The most notable example has to be Dove’s focus on its male campaign for 2010 with the £12 million [British pound sterling] launch of its Men + Care range of body washes. Men do not tend to respond well to products typically thought of as feminine. And, whereas using real women as the focus of the women’s campaign was its triumph, using the same device for men may just be its downfall… And, to be honest, the packaging does little to redeem. The “care” tag is both broad and specific enough to work and attract on many different levels, but the matte black and color descriptors are very safe—and maybe a bit dated looking. I guess only time—and sales figures—will tell.

The Offside Rule

The future of the male grooming marketplace looks very different depending on your viewpoint. Whereas it used to be about one ideal and direction, the future means that it will not just be a game of two halves—the artisan at one end and the mass offer at the other—but one of many new ideals.

For packaging design, there is obviously no prescriptive answer, but there is the very real opportunity for male grooming brands—both traditional and new—to match visionary brand propositions with truly creative identities and challenging design to show that we are living in a new beauty age with a truly new influence and ideal. It is up to us to allow it the open mindedness to exist in new guises in a very fluid and evolving world order that we the consumer have created by our changing desires.

And ending where we started, the World Cup has opened up the world and the host (and Rainbow) nation to us, so why are we not drawing inspiration and innovation from the culture, color and creativity that is literally all around us? The World Cup may be over, but the question is still a very timely and prescient one. Is your brand really “match fit” to meet the varying wants, hopes and desires of today’s male consumer?

About the Author
Jonathan Ford is a designer and creative partner of Pearlfisher – [email protected]

www.pearlfisher.com