|
This is exactly how a recent Associated Press article on men selling Avon products began (and, please note: it is not Bobbi with an "i."): Meet Bobby McKinney. Your local Avon man.
"Forget the product, forget it's Avon. This is a very viable business," says the 58-year-old fire code inspector from Winter Haven, Fla. He rang up about $800,000 in sales last year along with his wife and has about 170 sales reps under him.
Apparently the well-established and typically "women's products" brand is making efforts to broaden its appeal. A Derek Jeter skincare line and more male salespeople are two of the methods to their sane-ness.
The story of Avon and Bobby is a great example of comfort zones expanding between the sexes. Men can apparently still be manly and care about their skin and women don't seem to have a problem buying their skin and beauty products from a man. In the same way, women can still be feminine and want to buy motorcycles or lawnmowers, and they don't have to have women selling those products to them.
This all makes sense to you, right? Still, a lot of marketers don't seem to give consumers the credit they deserve.
Society just rolls with the punches and people adapt. What may once have been seriously "taboo," may now just be a line in the sand that is easily crossed. Yet, marketers keep up these often arbitrary "girls buy this" and "boys buy that" separation.
The lesson we can all take from Avon? Never make assumptions about who may be a great salesperson, and don't forget to involve a few more men in your marketing development process. They may both learn a few things and become better at serving women, and, ta da, they will likely bring a balanced perspective to how you are approaching your twenty-first century audiences of women and men.
|
Comments
It is interesting... In Europe there are many more products for men for skin care and appearance. While it is becoming less of an issue in the U.S., it is still considered effeminate to care about your appearance other than a clean haircut, shave, or macho aftershave.
I'm reading a book from the '50s about brainstorming. Brainstorming and strategic thinking was considered men's work. The only mention of having women help was to make things interesting by creating competition between the sexes.
While that sounds downright silly nowadays, I'm certain many of the male/female stereotypes we American's hold today will seem just as silly tomorrow.
Posted by: Paul Williams (in Amsterdam) | 10.12.07
What an interesting article. Thanks for posting!
It does cause for reflection because I'm pondering recruiting evangelists & the suggestion was that it be a man amongst pro photographers (& this came from a woman). I guess I feel that women or men will both succeed. I don't think it needs to be a man.
I think what's more important is that the person is knowledge about the products, can talk about the concerns & truly interested in the topic.
And I've been working professionally for my adult life & always respected as a person (my gender never mattered ... usually)
Posted by: Connie Bensen | 10.13.07
I was a business manager for an estee lauder counter from 2000 to 2001. Half my sales were to women, with the other half of the sale to their husbands. The wife came in because the husband didn't want to be seen at the "old ladies cosmetics" counter.
Lauder has some great products. As it is, I am 44 dating a 25 year old. Women are surprised I am not 35, the average age they guess (I ask a lot of women!).
My razor blade lasts 5 months before I change it. Blades go dull cutting skin, not hair. Use a good exfoliator, which doesn't seem to be included in the main line products.
Cheap stuff damages your skin.
Posted by: ron | 10.14.07
Ron,
That whole bragging about dating younger women is so lame. Sorry but it is.
Getting laid is not hard to do and it does not take skin products to do it.
Posted by: Neil Anuskiewicz | 10.15.07
I thought more about what bothered me about Ron's post. It is this. Ron says he is 44 but people guess his age as 35.
What bothered me is a 44 year old man bragging about dating a 25 year old woman. I would have guessed his age at about 20. That is because such bragging is the province of the young. Anyone older than a kid who either dates as a hobby and/or brags about it is a cad and gets no respect from me at all, least of all for bragging.
That said, if men can benefit from or sell skin products, that's great. Let it be men who benefit, though...
Posted by: Neil Anuskiewicz | 10.15.07
My face would frequently break out and I would find myself going to have facials to try to keep the outbreaks to a minimum. A friend introduced me Monavie, an all natural fruit juice that contains the acai berry, probably nature's highest antioxidant. Also the acai’s phytosterols help reduce the
erosion of the skin’s protective coating. The acai also helps protect connective tissues, including
collagen. My skin has never looked better and my wife tells me it actually has a glow to it. Learn more about it at: www.mymonavie.com/gregandaurorarichard or garmonavie@aol.com
Posted by: Greg | 10.16.07
I can see nothing extraordinary in this. Moreover, I think it's a good PR plan as men will attract more female customers. as for me I would like to buy something from a man!
Posted by: Patricia | 10.22.07