New research from Kantar has found that ads with positive portrayals of men are more successful.
The insights firm’s study, Connecting with men: how brands can decode modern masculinity, reveals significant opportunities for brands to enhance their marketing strategies by embracing more positive and diverse portrayals of men.
The research demonstrates that ads featuring positive male representations outperform those with negative portrayals (+37 percentile points higher than ads with negative portrayals) in building long-term brand equity.
The firm’s study also shows that LGBTQ+ men are more than twice as likely to feel negatively represented in advertising compared to their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts (20% vs 8%).
Men with disabilities, particularly those with thinking or learning disabilities (30%), mental health conditions (20%), or any disability (16%), feel poorly represented compared to men without disabilities (7%).
Two-thirds of men featured in advertisements are under 40, potentially neglecting the experiences of older men.
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“Masculinity matters to marketers because advertising is part of the cultural fabric and shapes how we see men,” said Věra Šídlová, global creative thought leadership director at Kantar.
“Men want to see more authentic and nuanced portrayals of themselves. Brands that let go of old stereotypes will not only build stronger connections but also drive real growth and positive change.”
The research reveals untapped potential in several product categories:
Only 24% of baby product advertisements are tested with men, despite the growing involvement of fathers in childcare. While men are taking on more domestic responsibilities, only 15% of home care ad testing seeks feedback from men and, despite 40% of men using skincare products, 91% of creative testing focuses solely on women.
The study also suggests that in Brazil, ads showing men in family settings, particularly involving household chores, resonate well and in Thailand, kindness and social responsibility are increasingly valued over physical strength in male portrayals.
