Marketers are behind on manhood. Way behind. Think about the characters on television (Two-and-Half Men comes to mind) or the way Madison Avenue sells us beer or razor blades. It’s as if men fall into just two camps: ultra macho or ultra stupid.
Now think about our President, whether you agree with his politics or not. A 40-something guy, he strives for work/life balance. He’s a dedicated husband and father. He reads constantly and attempts to approach his life in a thoughtful, analytical manner. But his life isn’t easy. In fact it’s damn hard.
Not all of us are the leaders of the free world, but the vast middle of American men–the Average Joes–these days are very different from those of our dads’ generation. Most of us, like our President, are trying to be good fathers and husbands while answering the call at work, despite a world that’s in chaos. We read. We think. We are not 007, nor are we the geeky, moronic guys with model wives who seem to be the rage on the big screen (Knocked-Up).
There are signs that consumer product companies are catching on. P&G made the following announcement in the Wall Street Journal: http://bit.ly/TPjgd
It’s about time. We Average Joes are sick of being portrayed as stick figures when we have blood, sweat and tears and–I know it’s hard to believe–brains.
