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Aesthetics Journal
Aesthetics
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Marketing Male Focus
well as women, and this has added value to the success of the launch.”
Consultation differentiation
Changing faces: marketing to the male customer Michelle Boxall examines the different approaches for connecting with your growing male audience The profile of a typical aesthetic customer is changing fast, and this is presenting treatment providers with progressively more opportunities to develop, grow and market to a new clientele. Patients are now entering the market from all walks of life. This is partly driven by the fact that having ‘work’ done (as it is often termed by consumers), is not only considered acceptable, but is now accessible to the mass market. Undergoing an aesthetic treatment is even considered fashionable in some circles – a trend fuelled by celebrity culture. While aesthetic treatments are no longer considered niche, (and you only need to read the Daily Mail to have proof of this), it naturally follows that marketing to the male customer provides a magnificent opportunity for growth in the sector. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), the number of men having cosmetic surgery rose by 16% in 2013; and those having aesthetic procedures accounted for one in 10 (9.5%).1 However, much of this growth has arisen organically, with many clinics and brands neglecting male patients in their past marketing and communications. Dr Maria Gonzalez, who runs the Specialist Skin Clinic in Cardiff, says, “I do not specifically market to men. I do not have any treatments specifically for men either, but I do have male customers and notice that there are some treatments that are more commonly requested by this group. These include tattoo removal, laser hair removal for ingrown hairs in the beard, treatment of nasal vessels and our most popular request is for the treatment of ‘red’ face, secondary to rosacea.” Despite the fact that in-clinic it seems practitioners’ focus on men is ostensibly withstanding, we can see that the aesthetics sector wants to market to men through the influx of male products and treatments that clinics are adding to their treatment menus. New aesthetic consumer brand, Body Face Couture, is a prime example – they have recently launched their marketing campaign with male models and treatments specifically tailored to men; for example ‘Tight Torso’, a treatment to firm and sculpt the male torso area. Cynosure, a leading developer and manufacturer of aesthetic laser technology, recently launched a new product with marketing materials designed in black – a significant move away from the company’s usual orange and silver branding. Cynosure’s managing director Neil Wolfenden comments, “the Picosure launch was focused around tattoo removal; an aesthetic treatment which could potentially draw in a huge male audience. We therefore chose to make a statement with our marketing to attract men as Aesthetics | November 2014
Juvea Aesthetics, a clinic based in London’s Harley Street, has experienced an increase in male clients requesting hair removal, body and facial treatments. To address this growth, the clinic places emphasis on differentiating between the sexes during the consultation process. Dr Faz Zavahir at Juvea says, “When it comes to treatments, men are interested in the science behind them; therefore when communicating with men we will go into detail about how, for example, a laser or product might work. We have also found that our male clients seek aesthetic treatments to boost their self-esteem, and to combat the signs of ageing – so we will go into detail about how we can help them to achieve this.” It makes sense for aesthetic clinics and practitioners to have different approaches to treating male patients, and to tailor to the patient’s personality and individual needs in a consultation situation. However, it can be difficult to come up with successful marketing campaigns that work in a male mass-market when the aesthetic and grooming market is often singularly associated with the metrosexual male. This is despite the fact that a range of men visit an aesthetic clinic because they are suffering with a particular skin or body issue, and under normal circumstances wouldn’t even include application of a facial moisturiser in their daily routine.
Marketing When advertising to men, in general, we don’t seem to have moved very far from dealing exclusively in stereotypical profiling, for example – the gay, the metrosexual, the house husband, the macho man. For aesthetic clinics, these stereotypes are not necessarily useful, particularly when trying to grow your market and broaden appeal. For most men, looking good is about being strong, confident, first, and the best.2 Clinics should aim to offer treatments, and market their products and services, with this male ideal in mind. Researchers have found that the male brain is hardwired differently to the female brain,3 and therefore, these differences can simplify the marketing process for clinics who want to devise successful marketing strategies for the male customer. Men typically prefer marketing communications that are informative;2 preferring technical data rather than emotion-based messages that are aimed at triggering certain feelings, such as hope, sympathy, sadness or joy. From my experience, men don’t want to be told how a product or treatment can reform their life but, rather, how a treatment can reform their skin. A Mintel report published in 2013,4 reinforces the argument that evidence-based marketing works better on men, claiming that beauty and personal care 57