The Metrosexual as a Segmentation Target

The Metrosexual as a Segmentation Target – Case Study Analysis

Marketing Strategies

According to the Case Study, Metrosexuals are a growing target for marketers, and can be defined as men who are concerned with their looks and grooming, and have discretionary income to spend on an array of cosmetic, health, and grooming products to meet current trends and tastes in the new customer segment. Role models for the metrosexual target segment are sports stars and film celebrities, including David Beckham, Brad Pitt, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Case Study analyses metrosexuals and can be further explained through marketing concepts such as segmentation, targeting, positioning, and perceptual mapping.

Segmentation

Segmentation is vital for businesses for dividing the market into reasonable segments and attributing a series of goals and strategies to guide communications toward the target market, in this example, metrosexuals. The Case Study analyses the UK Company Boots and their understanding that it isn’t possible to appeal to an entire market, and were worried about appealing their business to metrosexuals at the risk of alienating traditional male groups. They decided by identifying the more viable segments of markets (with grooming and cosmetics approaching a billion pound industry) they were better off targeting the newer market so they could be on the leading edge of or else be left behind by companies who better embraced the growing customer base.

The demographic, psychographic, behaviouristic and geographic characteristics of the metrosexual market can be described as typically city-dwelling, educated, with young men generally aged 18-49 with discretionary income and an interest or desire in health, grooming and cosmetic products, being from many different ethnic backgrounds and religions with typically smaller family sizes.

Targeting

Targeting involves deciding on the segment to serve and the best action plans to reach the identified segment. Firms face the targeting choices such as single segment concentration, selective specialization, product specialization, market specialization, or full market coverage. Targeting the metrosexual market meets the goals and strategies of targeting, as the segment is measureable, accessible, substantial, differentiable, and actionable. With a projected growth reaching over 1 billion pounds at the time the case study was written, and the accessibility of the products, the differentiation from existing products in the customer segments view, the substantial value of the segment, and the actionable serving of the segment, the metrosexual market is one that is ready to be expanded.

Positioning

Positioning refers to the perceptual position within the mind of consumers whom have a clear and distinctive image in mind of themselves and the products they desire to keep that image. Brands like Lancôme and Armani use spokesmen such as Clive Owen and David Beckham, respectively, to appeal and match their target audience for their products and position them effectively within the segmented market.

Good position defines the product in a unique place in the consumer’s mind when compared to competing products.  This place is the result of the benefits that are offered by the product and how they are different or better than those of the competitor’s products.