GENERATION X affluent male shoppers

ARTD1078 Consuming Fashion

Hannah Tagulao

Contents 1 Introduction

2 Generation X ndash Moodboard

3 Generation X

Affluent Male Shoppers

4 Demographics and Psychographics

5 Lifestyle Behaviour 6 Key motivations and Buying Behaviour 7 Moodboard

8 Pen Portrait

9 Future MarketingPromotional Opportunities and Challenges

10 Conclusion

11 Appendix 12 Bibliography

pg 1

pg 2

pg 3

pg 6

pg 5

pg 4

pg 9

pg 10

pg 11

pg 13

pg 14

pg 15

As all consumers are different marketers segment similar groups together in order to help strategise better marketing plans A form of demographic segmentation is looking at a particular consumer generation in this case the report looks at Generation X and has a closer insight of the affluent male shopper

introduction 1

1

2

Generation xMOODBOARD 2

GENERATION X Born between the years of 1965 to 1976 Xers are currently around their mid-30s to their late-40s Whilst growing up society was reshaped becoming more multicultural and incorporating different family structures with increasing divorce rates decline in births recession and the risk of unemployment leading them to become realistic self-reliant and sceptical

Today the majority of Xers are in the parenting life stage with 7 out of 10 owning their own homes Career-wise Xers are still moving up the ladder despite the economical climate altering career paths and expectations They aim to work smarter and are task-driven striving to learn more and develop themselves personally To a Xer maintaining a strong work-life balance is important as they value family a lot with 77 of Xers feeling closer to their children under 18 than other people (Yankelovich Monitor Live 2008) Unlike the previous generation Xers are more technology-savvy growing up with continuous developing technology and the introduction of the internet

In terms of marketing Xers tend to be more cynical compared to other generations although they seem to possess a more individual fashion style that shows off their creativity As well as this individual style Xers are more generally independent focused more on themselves and others who share similar values (this being considered their style tribe) The 1980s and early 1990s influenced Generation X the most generating the likes of successful fashion designers of Stella McCartney Phillip Lim and Nicolas Ghesquieacutere

3

3

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

Contents 1 Introduction

2 Generation X ndash Moodboard

3 Generation X

Affluent Male Shoppers

4 Demographics and Psychographics

5 Lifestyle Behaviour 6 Key motivations and Buying Behaviour 7 Moodboard

8 Pen Portrait

9 Future MarketingPromotional Opportunities and Challenges

10 Conclusion

11 Appendix 12 Bibliography

pg 1

pg 2

pg 3

pg 6

pg 5

pg 4

pg 9

pg 10

pg 11

pg 13

pg 14

pg 15

As all consumers are different marketers segment similar groups together in order to help strategise better marketing plans A form of demographic segmentation is looking at a particular consumer generation in this case the report looks at Generation X and has a closer insight of the affluent male shopper

introduction 1

1

2

Generation xMOODBOARD 2

GENERATION X Born between the years of 1965 to 1976 Xers are currently around their mid-30s to their late-40s Whilst growing up society was reshaped becoming more multicultural and incorporating different family structures with increasing divorce rates decline in births recession and the risk of unemployment leading them to become realistic self-reliant and sceptical

Today the majority of Xers are in the parenting life stage with 7 out of 10 owning their own homes Career-wise Xers are still moving up the ladder despite the economical climate altering career paths and expectations They aim to work smarter and are task-driven striving to learn more and develop themselves personally To a Xer maintaining a strong work-life balance is important as they value family a lot with 77 of Xers feeling closer to their children under 18 than other people (Yankelovich Monitor Live 2008) Unlike the previous generation Xers are more technology-savvy growing up with continuous developing technology and the introduction of the internet

In terms of marketing Xers tend to be more cynical compared to other generations although they seem to possess a more individual fashion style that shows off their creativity As well as this individual style Xers are more generally independent focused more on themselves and others who share similar values (this being considered their style tribe) The 1980s and early 1990s influenced Generation X the most generating the likes of successful fashion designers of Stella McCartney Phillip Lim and Nicolas Ghesquieacutere

3

3

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

As all consumers are different marketers segment similar groups together in order to help strategise better marketing plans A form of demographic segmentation is looking at a particular consumer generation in this case the report looks at Generation X and has a closer insight of the affluent male shopper

introduction 1

1

2

Generation xMOODBOARD 2

GENERATION X Born between the years of 1965 to 1976 Xers are currently around their mid-30s to their late-40s Whilst growing up society was reshaped becoming more multicultural and incorporating different family structures with increasing divorce rates decline in births recession and the risk of unemployment leading them to become realistic self-reliant and sceptical

Today the majority of Xers are in the parenting life stage with 7 out of 10 owning their own homes Career-wise Xers are still moving up the ladder despite the economical climate altering career paths and expectations They aim to work smarter and are task-driven striving to learn more and develop themselves personally To a Xer maintaining a strong work-life balance is important as they value family a lot with 77 of Xers feeling closer to their children under 18 than other people (Yankelovich Monitor Live 2008) Unlike the previous generation Xers are more technology-savvy growing up with continuous developing technology and the introduction of the internet

In terms of marketing Xers tend to be more cynical compared to other generations although they seem to possess a more individual fashion style that shows off their creativity As well as this individual style Xers are more generally independent focused more on themselves and others who share similar values (this being considered their style tribe) The 1980s and early 1990s influenced Generation X the most generating the likes of successful fashion designers of Stella McCartney Phillip Lim and Nicolas Ghesquieacutere

3

3

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

2

Generation xMOODBOARD 2

GENERATION X Born between the years of 1965 to 1976 Xers are currently around their mid-30s to their late-40s Whilst growing up society was reshaped becoming more multicultural and incorporating different family structures with increasing divorce rates decline in births recession and the risk of unemployment leading them to become realistic self-reliant and sceptical

Today the majority of Xers are in the parenting life stage with 7 out of 10 owning their own homes Career-wise Xers are still moving up the ladder despite the economical climate altering career paths and expectations They aim to work smarter and are task-driven striving to learn more and develop themselves personally To a Xer maintaining a strong work-life balance is important as they value family a lot with 77 of Xers feeling closer to their children under 18 than other people (Yankelovich Monitor Live 2008) Unlike the previous generation Xers are more technology-savvy growing up with continuous developing technology and the introduction of the internet

In terms of marketing Xers tend to be more cynical compared to other generations although they seem to possess a more individual fashion style that shows off their creativity As well as this individual style Xers are more generally independent focused more on themselves and others who share similar values (this being considered their style tribe) The 1980s and early 1990s influenced Generation X the most generating the likes of successful fashion designers of Stella McCartney Phillip Lim and Nicolas Ghesquieacutere

3

3

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

GENERATION X Born between the years of 1965 to 1976 Xers are currently around their mid-30s to their late-40s Whilst growing up society was reshaped becoming more multicultural and incorporating different family structures with increasing divorce rates decline in births recession and the risk of unemployment leading them to become realistic self-reliant and sceptical

Today the majority of Xers are in the parenting life stage with 7 out of 10 owning their own homes Career-wise Xers are still moving up the ladder despite the economical climate altering career paths and expectations They aim to work smarter and are task-driven striving to learn more and develop themselves personally To a Xer maintaining a strong work-life balance is important as they value family a lot with 77 of Xers feeling closer to their children under 18 than other people (Yankelovich Monitor Live 2008) Unlike the previous generation Xers are more technology-savvy growing up with continuous developing technology and the introduction of the internet

In terms of marketing Xers tend to be more cynical compared to other generations although they seem to possess a more individual fashion style that shows off their creativity As well as this individual style Xers are more generally independent focused more on themselves and others who share similar values (this being considered their style tribe) The 1980s and early 1990s influenced Generation X the most generating the likes of successful fashion designers of Stella McCartney Phillip Lim and Nicolas Ghesquieacutere

3

3

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Demographics + PSYCHOGRAPHICS

A commonly used method of segmentation is looking at the demographic and psychographic variables of different types of consumers Demographic segmentation looks at age gender income education etc whereas psychographic focuses more on lifestyle spending attitude and personality

4

4

As highlighted previously this report delves into the consumer group of affluent male shoppers taking a look at demographics psychographics lifestyle behaviour key motivations buying behaviour and future marketingpromotional opportunities and challenges

Belonging to the upper class these men are accustomed to wealth and like to use various brands to portray their extravagant lifestyle and personality They have a want to own apparel that possesses unique qualities willing to pay for the additional costs In addition to spending money on apparel they like to buy other luxury items such as technology and invest their money into stocks and shares As they came from higher levels of education they tend to be more fashion savvy and have a more individual style that showcase their high status in society

The affluent male shopper within the Generation X category falls into the age bracket of 36 to 47

Family being an importance he is married and in the parent life stage He has achieved a lot

regarding education and career where he has gained a degree and worked his way up to gain a

managerial position earning himself a high salary of around pound70000 He spends this paying the mortgage bills and providing for his family

however he still remains to have a high disposable income

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOUR 5

Looking at how a person lives their life can help determine a certain consumerrsquos opinions interests and attitudes that help a marketer have a better insight into their underlying motivations and needs From the VALS system1 the affluent male shopper is Fulfilleds in the Principle-oriented fashion consumers category and Actualisers in Status-oriented fashion consumers This means he tends to be more responsible mature and well-educated where he is open to the latest fashion and is not fussed about spending money on clothing so long as the quality is high and is long-lasting in style and durability

An affluent male shopper lives a life of luxury able to afford clothing and other luxury items that show off their wealth Having a high disposable

income allows them to go on holiday at least twice a year where perhaps they may own a family home abroad As Xers tend to want a work-life balance he is family-orientated and likes to spend time with

them 61 of Xers feel good about themselves when they at least spend 3 hours with their family (Yankelovich Monitor 2008) As he is a confident user of technology and the internet he regularly browses communicates

and shops online whether at home or on the move

In his spare time he likes to maintain his health and wellness as they like to look smart to others where they are not so concerned about weight loss Sports like golf and tennis are example activities he likes to participate and he also enjoys the arts theatre and music He tends to live in large suburban house with easy access to public transport although he is most likely to own at least two cars between himself and his spouse

1Refer to Appendix 5

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations +buying behaviour

6

What motivates a consumer to purchase something relies on an array of influences that are internal and external relating to personality self-image perception and motivation Factors that are cultural social economic personal psychological and geographic all affect the motivations that drive a personrsquos buying behaviour In terms of fashion motivation is more because of desire and the need is psychological

Despite having access to a lot of money affluent male shoppers still follow the same principles another male shopper approaches when it comes to buying Men are considered to be ldquohunter-gatherersrdquo where decisions are due to a need to replace a previous item In particular

men do not enjoy shopping and only shop when necessary tending to stick to brands they have bought from before Unlike women men do not buy in advance in terms of seasons where they have shorter goals

such as buying a shirt for an event in an upcoming week or month

When it comes to an affluent male shopper they tend to spend less time browsing in a store where they already have a product in mind He likes to be able to find the section he acquires quickly and without distraction if not he is most likely to give up and leave the store without asking for assistance In addition to this shopping with the opposite makes the experience more enjoyable for him A recent trend is that more men are shopping from discount retailers and supermarkets with 38 buying in supermarkets (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) showing more consumers are buying apparel whilst doing their weekly shop

6

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

Moreover as the role of digital marketing expands further in todayrsquos society an affluent male is very tech-savvy where 67 of Xer men purchase a product or service online frequently (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) Before buying an item however an affluent male shopper will undertake research with 75 of men reading an online review about a product (British Lifestyles 2011 Mintel 2011) and can be put off if there are at least 3 bad reviews While most men initially ignores the price tag of a product in bricks-and-mortar stores and are less likely to wait for apparel to go on sale and bargain-shop as mobile price comparisons are becoming increasingly popular men are becoming more smarter with spending their money With the internet they feel more satisfied with a brandrsquos service online and the ability to connect with them through social media

Affluent male shoppers want to maintain their fashion style through buying brands that they feel represent their personality shows off their success

and makes a statement about them Men tend to have a strong brand loyalty where brands such as

John Lewis Next MampS and Gap are favourites Spending a bit more on more premium brands such as Aubin and Wills Ralph Lauren Barbour Armani

and Toast is deems popular to this specific consumer group They also turn to brands such as

TM Lewin and Moss Bros to upkeep their professional business appearance for their career They want a ldquomembers onlyrdquo and exclusive feel to the products they purchase with less than 60 of

Xer men wanting unique items (Yankelovich MONITOR 2009) and the ability to customise to

flatter their lifestyle

7

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Key motivations + buying behaviour

6

An affluent male shopper wants to lead with his style and feel confident though subconsciously he wants to fit in with the crowd and is not as daring as a woman so he chooses to stick to wardrobe staple pieces such as various styles of t-shirts and jeans He is prepared to shop at various places though they often have a certain style they consider to be unique which they tend to stick to regardless of trends Only 30 of men turn to fashion magazines for inspiration (Mywardrobecom 2012) but they do want assistance to help influence their fashion decisions such as knowing the basics what the current trends are and having tips and hints He looks for smaller detail and variation in apparel such as the fit and the fabric the ones that are more engaged and confident tend to be more impulsive when buying

Increasing interest and confidence regarding shopping is becoming apparent with one in two

men buying clothing for himself in the past month (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) Back in 1985

60 of women were responsible for buying menrsquos clothing (The Why of the Buy 2008)

whereas recently men have started to shop a lot more for themselves as opposed to their spouse

or mother Men are not only buying for themselves now but their confidence has

increased so much that they are now even shopping for partners and their children where

nearly 9 in 10 males shopped for their childrenrsquos clothing (Lifestyle Monitor 2008) An affluent male shopper is now more aware and

fashion conscious where his decisions to purchase is likely to also be for his family

8

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

AFFLUENT MALE SHOPPER 7

9

MOODBOARD

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

A conventional affluent male shopper is in his early 40s where he lives in a large suburban home in the location of Kingston-upon-Thames with his wife and two children that are still under 18 He went through higher levels of education earning him a university degree and now he currently works as a CEO for a large firm earning him a large income of pound65000 He tends to travel mostly by car his black BMW He has a large disposable income which he uses to pay the mortgage bills and his childrenrsquos private school education but also uses this for recreational and personal purposes such as holidays technology and apparel Brands he likes to purchase are an array of stores such as John Lewis Ralph Lauren TM Lewin Barbour and even at his local supermarket He is an avid user of the computer always browsing the internet keeping up to date with the news watching videos etc as well as keeping in contact with family and work He enjoys the arts watching sport reading keeping healthy playing golf and perhaps rugby His family is a big priority to him where he tries his best to provide for them as well as maintain strong relationships through spending time together

Pen portrait 8

10

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

In order for brands to continue to succeed in the fashion industry they must continue to plan and look at the future aspects regarding their target consumer Opportunities to connect better with consumers are continually rising but as this can happen challenges to find a successful way to do so can surface The affluent male shopper is a great target to create new marketing opportunities as marketing to males still needs development in the fashion industry and more males are showing engagement through digital marketing

In terms of fashion promotion and imagery brands are falling short and are potentially alienating their male consumer base as they feel they cannot relate to the models used It is reported that 63 of US men feel that the way men are advertised is completely out of touch of how they really are (Futures Company Y Report 2009) By delving into further research regarding the affluent male better model casting could be taken out to improve fashion imagery creating looks that would inspire and would want to aspire to be more like rather than still using the typical stereotypes this would draw in the consumer group more effectively

As stated the affluent male shopper is savvy when it comes to marketing and is quite cynical when it comes to advertising so it is best to market towards them with caution and honesty as they appreciate no hidden motives and clear messages The idea of using less is more is vital as having too much may scare away any potential consumers as men prefer things to be more simplified when it comes to buying Perhaps by a brand advertising on television through commercial breaks that attract large male audiences such as sport or even sponsoring shows that an affluent male is more likely to watch they are able to raise more awareness about the brand or reinforce brand loyalty

11

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

affluent male shoppers

Future marketpromotional Opportunities + challenges

9

The utmost opportunity any fashion brand can expand into is using digital space to create a deeper connection with affluent male shoppers They are readily using the internet to communicate research browse and purchase online than turn to brick-and-mortar shops however there is still a massive gap in engaging them in a stronger way compared to female consumers For one a brand can develop their website by making it easier to navigate and purchase emphasising on product detail and variation By offering hints and tips and giving them the latest information regarding fashion trends they will feel more secure when shopping a brand should be more informative than treat fashion like entertainment or they will alienate the affluent male consumer as they are not as interested compared to women though they must not be so boring when doing so Another major marketing and promotional opportunity is taking advantage of their tech-savvy nature and design smart phone apps that will engage the affluent male shopper more as it seems to be more of a tangible marketing tool than focusing on location This proves useful to those who have lack of time due to work and family commitments allowing them to keep fashion-conscious and buy on the move Men still have the same ldquohunterrdquo approach of trying to buy effectively using as little time possible meandering

A challenge a fashion house can face is offering uniqueness with their apparel because men tend to keep to wardrobe staple pieces which can limit their creativity and may put off customers if they go a bit too far with design Furthermore with more and more accessible price comparisons this poses a threat to any affluent male who may be weary with spending on apparel as they would rather prioritise it on home improvements holidays or his childrenrsquos education so a business may lose out This can be tackled though by trying to enforce a high level of service and stressing the best quality in their products as men are more willing to spend more on the basis of these factors

12

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

Affluent male shoppers within Generation X prove to be an interesting group to market towards as they have a high disposable income that makes them desirable to any brand They are still thriving in terms of career and tend to have a family to provide for It is evident that through the use of technology these men are becoming more connected and aware with fashion gaining a stronger confidence when buying for themselves and their families They have the ability to spend a lot on a brand if they feel that the product is of a good quality and is able to exhibit their personality style and success effectively whether that be for work or for play However fundamentally they tend to only buy apparel when it is necessary and would rather not experience shopping trying to complete the task in the quickest amount of time possible In order to continue to market successfully with this group in the future it is important to develop digital platforms making them simple and allows browsing without any distraction

Conclusion 10

13

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

14

Appendix 1 THE VALS SYSTEM

Originally created in the 1970s by a consumer futurist Arnold Mitchells the system shown below has been developed and changed further by Taylor-Nelsen (VALS 2 SYSTEM) This system is used by marketers to help segment different lifestyles however as lifestyle consists of many different elements trying to fit a certain type of consumer in only one type of group is difficult especially as today lifestyles and culture are becoming increasingly more complex

(The VALS2 Liffestyle System Jackson and Shaw 2009 p66)

11

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

15

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 BOOKS bull Jackson T and Shaw D (2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing Palgrave

Macmillan bull Posner H (2011) Marketing Fashion London Laurence King bull Bay S Gill P Petrizzi R And Rath P M (2008) The Why of the Buy

Consumer Behaviour and Fashion Marketing Fairchild Books bull Rabolt N J and Solomon M R (2004) Consumer Behaviour in

Fashion Prentice Hall bull Underhill P (2009) Why We Buy The Science of Shopping Simon and

Schuster E BOOKS bull Ball K And Gotsill G (2010) Surviving the Baby Boomer Exodus

Capturing Knowledge for Gen X and Y Employees Course Technology Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull McCrindle M And Wolfinger E (2009) The ABC of XYZ Understanding the Global Generations University of New South Wales Press (UNSW) Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull Rosen B C (2001) Masks and Mirrors Generation X and the Chameleon Personality Greenwood Press Available from httpsiteebrarycomlibsotonhomeactionforce=1 [Accessed 1 March 2012]

bull SL (2009 User Guide Available from httpwwwcacicoukacorn2009CACIhtm [Accessed 2 March 2012]

ONLINE CONFERENCE PAPERS bull Moore H (2008) 10 Things About Generation X August 13 2008 The

Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmpe599afe6-0213-4184-a875-366c05e47d07pdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

16 16

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 WEB PAGES bull Clark N (2011) Male shoppers reaching the new hunter-gatherers

WGSN Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Novemberreaching_the_newhuntergatherershtml [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Donrsquot You (Forget About Me ndash Marketing to Generation X WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=790d0b63-a158-4299-a8a3-f129eb3ecc5aampq=generation+x [Accessed 6 March 2012]

bull Men Brands and the Internet The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomPDFFilesTmp57f2d746-6075-4a28-b52c-9b5f010c311apdf [Accessed 8 March 2012]

bull Meredith G E and Schewe C D (2002) Marketing To My Generation ndash and Yours WARC ANA Magazine Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=dec827f2-23f2-49f4-8927-8eef314a0395ampq=generation+x [Accessed 4 March 2012]

bull Miller L (2011) Shopping behaviour British Lifestyles 2011 WGSN Avaiable from httpwwwwgsncomcontentreportMarketingConsumer_Insight2011Octoberbritish_lifestyles2011html [Accessed 29 February 2012]

bull Salary for Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jobs PayScale Available from httpwwwpayscalecomresearchUKJob=Chief_Executive_Officer_(CEO)Salary [Accessed 9 March 2012]

bull The Alpha Shopper WGSN Lifestyle Monitor Reports Available from httpwwwwgsncomcontentwgsn-mscotton-increports2008junci2008jun04_000325html [Accessed 3 March 2012]

bull Warc Briefing Men WARC Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=14163779-faf7-4e01-957b-d507913008c6ampq=22warc+briefing22 [Accessed 7 March 2012]

bull Y Reports ndash Generations The Scoop on Boomers Xers and Echoes WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=5cce7783-5783-45d6-a7a2-2fca530c5e1eampq=generation+x [Accessed 25 February 2012]

bull Y Reports ndash Health and Wellness for 25-40s WARC The Futures Company Yankelovich MONITOR Available from httpwwwwarccomContentContentVieweraspxMasterContentRef=8dd79990-f864-4f85-b2eb-f000a1b4518bampq=generation+x [Accessed 25 February 2012]

16 17

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 IMAGES bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available

httpwwwdeviantartcomdownload72496013Old_paper_33_stock_by_ofruin_stockjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesportalimagescomlargetp703621ecimage1736411713jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesportalimagescomlargetp119261ECIMAGE110000846jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpphotoeverywherecoukbritainlondontrellick_tower_concreteP1039500jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwfabafterfiftycoukwp-contentuploads201109downsizing-small-house-imagejpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotos1600Her20look1jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotos3119HskirtWeb1jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotosGD2Web1jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomthumbnails20120212212RueVTemple_9617Webjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotoss1600GD1wjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotos1600The-Painterjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotos40411GeorgeGJr_8510Web1jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomthumbnails20120111012Card_4474Webjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwtheblendedandstepfamilyresourcecentercomfiles1883356uploadedBlended20Family20photo-homepagejpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

16 18

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 IMAGES bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available

httpwwwtablethirecoukapple_macbook_projpg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsdd2IPhone_4S_No_shadowpng [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpmydegreeclasscomwp-contentuploads201107fasion-degree-onlinejpg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpcarsbmwinfowp-contentuploadsblack1jpeg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwzest-travelcoukUserFilesSki1-MediumJPG [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpyaymerecipescomwp-contentuploads201110hearthealthy1jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimgsmi9comuploadsother4272greenpeace-symbols-recycle-sign-01_1920x1200_74762jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwgymworldcoukmediacatalogproductcache1image9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95gggg0-g4701-multi-station-home-gym-2_2gif [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpmr2homeflowcoukfilesphotoimage26577062003jpg1315228465[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available http3bpblogspotcom-CxB7ByKn8EsTeu8vI0mXzIAAAAAAAAAzcrXjy_nRdUAMs1600Ralph_Lauren_Wallpaper__yvt2jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwrealtimehostingcomgammiesimagesbarbourlogo-lgjpg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httphlogoslondonothenentnetdna-cdncomwp-contentuploads201109gap-logojpg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwbarcouncilorgukmedia19434tm_logo_p188_no_estjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httprhulskiandsnowboardcomwp-imagesGolf-Teejpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

16 19

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 IMAGES bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available http1bpblogspotcom-

AdxqQ9B-5hkTmYsTKVgiwIAAAAAAAAAKUgF7Az_K_cYIs1600Tennis-Racquet-Wallpapers-3jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpi2expansyscomimgb208828samsung-laptop-np-rf510-s02uk-windows-7-home-premiumjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwyunomarionicomwp-contentuploads201101bill-001jpg[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpmuraluvesjoresbuMASKSgif [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httporganisemefileswordpresscom201106pile_of_booksjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwfinewinesellerscoukmediacatalogproductcache1image9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95wiwine_mix_3_pack_2-hiresjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available http1bpblogspotcom_ZFktH015R7QS_ZTfanLkRIAAAAAAAABrEAmSn9sACnHQs16002011-BMW-M3-Competition-Frozen-Black-1JPG[Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwtrueimagebankcomimagesFuture1980s-fashion-trendsjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwsproutingspeechoncaPortals0j0427628jpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagestraum-ferienwohnungende530353396019Holiday20House20-20modern20Family-Holiday20Homejpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotoss1600etroglovesjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwcreativematchcomnewsfiles30021450george_asda_logogif [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httplittlezosienkafileswordpresscom201102aubinwillsjpgw=500amph=728 [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httprhulskiandsnowboardcomwp-imagesGolf-Teejpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

16 20

BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 IMAGES bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available

httpwwwwgsncomcontentdamTeam_LibrariesMarketingConsumer_insight201111novHunter_gatherersasos_02jpgimageW0N0E290S389w204h300originaljpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpwwwwgsncomcontentdamTeam_LibrariesMarketingConsumer_insight201111novHunter_gatherersasos_03jpgimageW2N0E263S391w204h300originaljpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]

bull SL ND Photograph [Online] Available httpimagesthesartorialistcomphotoss1600SleeveLengthPortjpg [Accessed 12 March 2012]