DO YOU KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS?
Part 5 The New Man
The concept of profiling consumers is not new by any means. What has changed, however, is the volume of the data now available and the ever-increasing sophistication of the tools we can use to analyse it. The result is that we can go deeper into consumer behaviour than ever and understand our customers like never before.
With that in mind, the final part of our look at consumer profiles for the jewellery sector takes a look at a fast-evolving group, The New Man*.
THE NEW MAN
For many reasons, the traditional gender stereotypes have long gone out the window. As a result, the concept of masculinity these days is very much open to interpretation. A new generation of men is emerging, one that is more open than previous generations and actively embraces its emotional side.
The New Man has jettisoned the old ideas of what a man should look like, dress like and act like and follows a more gender neutral, progressive approach to life. They see men and women as equals in this world, no better and no worse than each other.
This more open approach translates into increasing numbers of men who use grooming products and who are comfortable talking about feelings for example. They’re progressive, tolerant, emotionally intelligent and frequently well-dressed. They’re interested in intriguing designs and concepts with global influences.
For the jewellery sector in-particular, the trending themes to look out for include such diverse influences as ethnic designs, sleek lines and dark fairy tale looks. In more detail, that might include the use of aged metals, baroque engraving, textured surfaces, mixed media and treated metals; chain bracelets, geometric cufflinks, insignia rings, charm necklaces, tag pendants and gemstones to name but a few.
This modern masculinity has its roots in outward-looking cities like London and New York, but its influence is spreading fast. It’s a consumer group to watch, if you’re not looking already.
*Source: Trend Vision Consumer Profile