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This group was referred to as the “peacocks.” Animal euphemisms aside, the research identified what has become known in current marketing-speak as the metrosexual.

The metrosexual is the prototypical 21st-century male with refined sensibilities and priorities. A recent article in the New York Times deemed them, “straight, hip and moisturized men – every marketer’s dream.” These are not wimps or girly-men. More accurately, members of this market segment are into taking care of themselves inside and outside.

According to a recent study sponsored by advertising giant Euro RSCG Worldwide and conducted by Market Probe International, masculinity has been in a state of transition in recent decades.

I recall my grandfather as a figure larger than life in many ways: A bomber pilot in WWII and a hard-drinking man who loved to fish, golf and swear, in no particular order. As a kid, I recall him joking that all he needed for a shampoo was his handkerchief as he pulled it out of his pocket and wiped it across his bald head. Metrosexual? I think not…

Admittedly I have inherited some of his machismo traits, having eaten rattlesnake, survived a skydiving accident, and being a fan of single-malt scotch. However, I do confess to a higher than average involvement in personal grooming and clothing. I’m not sure if I’m a metrosexual, but I suspect it is not an assessment that is easily made about oneself. Therefore, you may be a metrosexual and not even realize it.

To find out, answer the following question: How many hair-care products do you have in your bathtub or shower? Count them…shampoos, conditioners, etc. Is it two? Three? Five? In one focus group, a consumer admitted to having 12 hair-care products. If you have more than three, chances are you are a metrosexual.

Tom Granese has some key insights to offer on this emerging segment. As founder of Regimens® (www.regimens.com), he understands that an increasing number of men adhere to these new qualities and values. As a retailer of premium personal grooming products specifically designed from a masculine perspective, Regimens has placed the metrosexual at the bull’s-eye of its target audience.

“We are tapping into the male segment of the beauty category with an estimated annual value of $4.5 billion,” reports Granese. “It’s anticipated to increase to $5.5 billion by 2006.” This makes male-focused products the fastest growing segment of the beauty products industry.

Such brands as Mont Source®, Nickel® and Baxter of California® are marketed to men who spend an average of 51 minutes per day on personal grooming and hygiene. Compared with women who spend an average of 55 minutes per day, the metrosexual has a decidedly higher level of involvement than the average Joe.

On the whole, most advertising in America has been targeted to women because they have historically controlled or influenced fully 85 percent of the purchasing decisions. As a result, women have had an important role in the purchase of men’s toiletries. By tradition, men’s grooming products have been relegated to a small section of the local grocery aisle with such legacy brands as Edge®, Aqua Velva®, Brylcreem® and Top Brass®.

“It’s time to stop getting grooming tips from a grocery clerk,” says Granese. “The retail environment for men’s products has generally not kept pace with this market.”

There have been some signs of recent change that reflect the increasing importance of men in the premium grooming category:

• Department stores have increased their focus on the male category by boutiquing their premium lines.
  
• Such specialty beauty retailers as Sephora and Ulta have dedicated sections of their stores to male-targeted products.
  
• Leading mass-market beauty care manufacturers Neutrogena® and Nivea® have launched skin-care lines with men in mind.

The emergence of this new class of male consumer raises a question in consumer marketing: How do you now market to the new American male in a characteristically different, yet appropriate manner? Here are some basic guidelines:

Avoid the Male Cliché. Hot-rod magazines and a prize catfish mounted on the wall do not a retail experience make. Consider an open, well-lit environment that invites the male consumer to enter and explore. In retail, men generally do not like to feel closed in. Depending upon your retail model, consider an open seating area where they can relax and enjoy spending time in your retail space.

Use Visual Breadcrumbs. Male consumers need clear visual clues to lead them into your store. Place items near the front to capture attention while broadly representing your product offerings. A bit further back in your store, place larger, more engaging displays to draw them further into the space.

Call Off the Hounds. Like any shopper, men may or may not want to have sales assistance while in your store. Learn to read customers as you greet them when they enter. Consider a retail philosophy that allows them both the freedom to explore on their own with plenty of printed product information around, yet the availability of sales assistance when they have questions.

Sample, Sample, Sample. As do women, men like to try before they buy. But men generally want to try it on their own. Have open products readily available for testing. Most men won’t admit it, but they also love free samples. Have trial-size products available with or without purchase.

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Dollars and Scents. The nose wins every time over sound and vision in the retail game. The sense of smell is the most primitive of the five senses and in many respects the most powerful. Ensure that you have a well-thought-out fragrance philosophy and plan for your store.

Show What You Know: Men in this market segment want to know why your products are better than others. They are open to knowledge and research on a better solution to personal grooming. The more information you can provide at point-of-purchase, the more you will engender their trust and confidence.

Men in the premium category decidedly have their own perspective and preferences on how they choose products for skin care, hair care, shaving and toiletries. They are beginning to understand that it is a good thing to take a more active role in treating themselves to a heightened level of personal grooming.

Those savvy retailers who understand the mindset of the peacock will reap the benefits of customer loyalty by becoming an important part of their daily rituals.