MACRO TRENDS: Re-Con Man1 – A new take on masculinity
As women’s value in the workforce and spending power comes to the fore (a concept dubbed ‘Womenomics’ 2), men have found themselves in uncharted territory. The ‘Re-con Man’ is carving out a new agenda that recasts masculinity in a positive, powerful and optimistic post-recessionary light.
• Just 14% of UK men said that the empowerment of women was detrimental to their gender.3
Redefining masculinity
Sexual conquests are no longer considered a definition of manhood:
• Just 8% of men said the number of sexual partners was a primary definer of manhood (UK & US). 4
In turbulent times, career and job title become less important, whilst fatherhood has become more so, with many men becoming ‘Plate Spinning Dads’5:
• 58% of UK men now define masculinity by parenthood, second only to ‘strength’.6
• In the US Fatherhood is third on the list of definers among US men, at 52%.7
• There has been a nine-fold increase in single-father headed households in the US since 1960.8
• In the UK, 400,000 families were found to be headed by a single father at the end of 2012.9
Young men choosing to stay at home longer, due to recession and lack of jobs
• Around 20% of Millennial men in the US live at their family home, compared to 10% of women.10
In Brazil, many young men are choosing to live with their parents with a new word emerging to describe this common situation. ‘Paitrocinio’, a pun combining the words father and sponsorship.
SECTOR: Food & Drink
Opportunities for retailers to position ‘own label’ products as ethically responsible, by offering flexible food prices that fluctuate based on global market prices
• Currently only 5% of own-label and branded buyers consider value and standard own-label products to be ethically responsible.11
This is particularly relevant for fruit and vegetables, with own-label holding more than a 90% share in this market.12 Supermarkets could lower prices on fruit and veg when there is a surplus in supply of say apples, promoting a sense that they looking after consumers by offering affordable healthy options.
Adults sweet eaters are looking for something more grown up
The kids segment currently accounts for 57% of total value of sugar confectionary.13 However,
• adult fruit sweets were the best performing segment (the only one to grow in volume and value.14
• half (51%) of sweet users would like to see more sweets targeted at adults .
There is scope for brands to look to alcohol flavours/cocktail flavours to heighten appeal to adults.15
Opportunity to develop glassware that shows consumers how watering down fruit juice reduces the sugar/calorie content.
• Concerns about fruit juice’s sugar levels, albeit natural, are widespread, with 34% of users saying that the drinks contain too much sugar.16
• 43% of users think adding water to fruit juice is a good way to reduce its calorie content, which, ultimately, reduces the sugar content.17
OTHER CONSUMER STUFF! – E-cigarettes helping smokers cut down and quit.
In a trial of e-cigarettes among Italian smokers, up to 13% of participants had stopped smoking regular cigarettes a year later.18
• More than half of participants cut down on tobacco soon after starting to use e-cigarettes, and the percentage that quit smoking by the end of the trial rivals the results achieved with medications.19
SOURCE:
1. ‘Re-con Man’ identified by LSN global 2013
2. ‘Womenomics’ trend identified by LSN global 2011
3. The Jobs Economist
4. JWT Intelligence’s The State of Men 2013 report
5. ‘Plate Spinning Dads’ identified by LSN global 2013
6. LSN Global 2013 Consumer Attitudes Audit Research
7. Pew Research Centre US
8. Pew Research Centre US
9. Office for National Statistics
10. US Census Bureau
11. Mintel: Private Label Food and Drink UK – November 2013
12. Mintel: Private Label Food and Drink UK – November 2013
13. Mintel: Sugar & Gum Confectionary UK – December 2013
14. Mintel: Sugar & Gum Confectionary UK – December 2013
15. Mintel: Sugar & Gum Confectionary UK – December 2013
16. Mintel: Fruit Juice, Juice Drinks and Smoothies UK – November 2013
17. Mintel: Fruit Juice, Juice Drinks and Smoothies UK – November 2013
18. Study by Dr Riccardo Polosa published June 2013 in journal PLOS ONE
19. Study by Dr Riccardo Polosa published June 2013 in journal PLOS ONE