Men Want To Take Care Of Themselves Too
BOSTON (CBS) -- We know Tom Brady can throw a football. But can he pitch a women's product to men and get them to buy it?
Number 12 is about to become a spokesman for UGGS, those boots that are a favorite of teenage girls.
More products usually considered feminine are branching out and trying to sell to men.
When guys come to the Anthony David Salon in Burlington these days, they often want more than a cut, according to owner Anthony Vitale. "Men are using moisturizers. Men are using hair creams."
Vitale says men have the same motivations as women. They want to look younger and less tired.
WBZ-TV's Kate Merrill reports.
Just take a look at the shelves in CVS. They are filled with body washes, special sponges, anti-wrinkle cream, and post shave balms that are all designed specifically for men.
Glenn Kelley, a marketing professor at Babson College, says the men's grooming industry is booming, adding it's one of the fastest growing segments of the personal care market right now.
It was about eight years ago that the term "metrosexual" became a popular way to describe fashion conscious young men. Now products are trying to go beyond that definition and appeal to everyday guys like fathers and jocks.
A recent example is Dove's launch of line of soaps and body washes for men. Their ad campaign features a young father.
"The challenge for Dove is how can they successfully market, and really make men comfortable with using a fundamentally rooted female product," said Kelley.
Kelley added that these companies have to walk a fine line. Everyday suburban men might not be comfortable with Adam Lambert's look, but Tom Brady, known for the long pass and the long hair, might be able to get them to wear UGGS.
Anthony Vitale says yesterday's metrosexual is today's soccer dad, and that's changing attitudes. When asked if this trend could go mainstream, Vitale replied that it already has.
WBZ spoke to several men on the street and most seem to think it's OK for men to pamper themselves, but are not really interested in admitting any interest in these products for themselves.
"If that that works for other guys and they want it, great, it's up to them I suppose," said one man. Another replied, "Everybody has to do their own thing."
Overall, the men's health and beauty industry is growing 8 percent a year, while the women's market has actually declined during the recession. Just in the first half of this year, sales for L'Oreal's men's line were up 30 percent.
