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Why Retailers Are Suddenly Trying To Appeal To Men

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-retailers-are-suddenly-trying-to-appeal-to-men-2012-9

Men are disproving the stereotype that they hate shopping, and the retail world is taking note.

Retailers from Ugg to J. Crew are  scrambling to provide men with better selections and customer service, Eric Wilson at the New York Times reports.

Many are even opening men’s stores.

Here are some of the changes the industry has made recently:

• Christian Louboutin, designer of red-soled shoes, opened a men’s store in New York’s Meatpacking District.
• Ugg opened a men’s store this summer.
• Nordstrom is opening a temporary men’s store in Soho with “a coffee bar, complimentary shaves and, naturally, lots of gadgets.”
• Urban Outfitters just released a men’s catalogue for the first time ever.
• Saks Fifth Avenue remodeled its men’s store this year.

In 2011, men’s spending on apparel increased by 4 percent. The increase was fueled by a broader interest in fashion according to research by NPD Group, Wilson reported.

DON’T MISS :Celebrity Designer Max Azria Tells Us How Fashion Houses Are Coping With The Bad Economy>

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There’s fascinating disconnect between which advertisers the media thinks did well on last night’s Super Bowl and what the research says was effective.

To hear the business press tell it, Clint Eastwood’s “Halftime in America” spot rocked the house. It was indeed a great spot from a creative point of view.

But it didn’t even show up in the Ace Metrix Top 10. Ace Metrix measures a panel of 500 consumers who watch ads and rate them for effectiveness. That research says Doritos’ sling baby ad won the night.

It was also a big night for dogs. Volkswagen’s much anticipated follow-up to its little Darth Vader spot from last year used an obese dog getting in shape to gets its revenge on a VW it wanted to chase down the street (and then somehow ended up in the Star Wars cantina scene).

Skechers used a dog — Mr. Quiggly — in a greyhound race.

As did Bud Light, whose appeal with Weego, a rescue dog, was heartwarming.

So did Doritos, in another comedic appeal revolving around the whole Dogs v. Cats war.

There weren’t any total disasters — last year both Groupon and HomeAway had to apologize for their ads — but there were some failures in the sense that clients ads bored people or went unnoticed.

Chase ran an ad that for the life of me I can’t recall even though I am paid to remember these things. And TaxACT’s ad, featuring a kid who urinates in a swmming pool, was disgusting.

Later today — much later — we’ll take a look at how B.I.’s readers judged the ads with the results of our Super Bowl ad readers’ poll. Vote early, and often!

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See Also:

• VOTE HERE: For The Best And Worst Super Bowl Ads
• SUPER BOWL ADS LIVE BLOG: Instant Reaction From Our Man With The Nachos!
• Here Are All Of This Year’s Super Bowl Ads