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Machismo

WHILE THE UNITED STATES MARKET for men's grooming products is the largest at $4.8 billion, according to Euromonitor International. Demand for men's grooming is growing faster south of the border, which could influence the 24 million plus Hispanic males in the U.S. Consultant Jim Wisner, president of Wisner Marketing Group, Libertyville, Ill., who has spent time in central America, said the Hispanic

WHILE THE UNITED STATES MARKET for men's grooming products is the largest at $4.8 billion, according to Euromonitor International. Demand for men's grooming is growing faster south of the border, which could influence the 24 million plus Hispanic males in the U.S.

Consultant Jim Wisner, president of Wisner Marketing Group, Libertyville, Ill., who has spent time in central America, said the Hispanic influence is “real and significant.” In Latin America, Hispanics tend to their appearance and dress more formerly for social events, he said. “Those influences will start to creep in and we'll begin to see more emphasis on style,” he said. He pointed to the number of spokespersons who are Hispanic and African American signed by the big cosmetics companies to represent their brands.

What's fueling the growth of the men's grooming market in Latin America, which also equals the U.S. in dollars spent, is an “appearance conscious culture and the culture of competition in the workplace,” according to a report in Cosmetics Business.

In its 2010 report on men's grooming, Mintel International outlines several idiosyncrasies of ethnic men shoppers:

  • Blacks, Hispanics and Asian are more apt than whites to use moisturizers, most likely because dry skin is more noticeable on darker complexions.

  • Blacks are more likely than whites and Hispanics to buy new products based on a free sample or sale. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to purchase based on the recommendations of others.

  • Black and Hispanic men are the most likely to regularly update their appearance or look for products with anti-aging benefits, suggesting that ads for products emulating new styles or claiming anti-aging properties will appeal to these ethnicities.

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