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Professional interviews, structured interviews over email with male grooming brand Lynx.

Intending to do a case study of the male grooming brand Lynx, as an example of a brand that has evolved its marketing and branding with changing perceptions of masculinity. An interview will give insight into how the brand feel they have changed and what they think of their history.

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Questionnaire hand outs (at least 50 responses).

Same questions as online questionnaire but handed out to people in public, with the addition of a consent form, to increase the number of survey responses, thus making the research for valid. Online survey options only allow for up to 100 responses.

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Observation in a retail store of Lynx products and semi-structured interview with staff and purchasers.

As a brand, who have altered and evolved their marketing and branding to changing perceptions of masculinity, I would observe how people interact with the products in various stores (Boots, Debenhams, etc) how often they’re purchased, talk to staff about the products and what they’ve noticed about the brand over time, and with customers who make purchases to see if they’ve noticed Lynx’s evolution.

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Professional interviews, structured interviews over email with a member of charity CALM Zone.

A charity that is focused on men’s mental health. Find out their opinion on the ‘be a man’ attitude, what they define a man as, if they think there are any brands that could be negatively impacting men, or any that they see as being positive.

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Online questionnaire, at least 100 responses, open to anyone.

Gain quantitative data on if consumers actually think masculine stereotypes have changed and if brands have as well, if toxic masculinity exists, and if people know about the brands tackling toxic masculinity. This will give a broader sense of consumers opinions, as it is anonymous people will feel comfortable to express their opinions openly, and the data will be easy to analyse.

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Two focus groups, 5 participants each, one just male, one mixed.

Gain qualitative data on how men define masculinity, toxic masculinity, relationship with brands. Two groups compare if different opinions are given in an all male environment and a mixed one.

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The topic of gender, and everything that falls underneath it, has become a highly talked about conversation, with the continued growth of feminism, and the debate on what gender really is. However, one area that often feels neglected is masculinity and the issues that men can face as a result of external influences. Men, like women, are often stereotyped, but it has only been in the last few years, that people, and brands, seem to be questioning these stereotypes and trying to uncover what it truly means to be a man.

What I am interested in is the relationship between the stereotypes of masculinity and brands. Brands are a part of almost every aspect of our lives, but what if the effect they are having on men is negative? Is it so subtle that people barely notice? And are there brands that refuse to conform to these stereotypes, in order to create a meaningful relationship with their consumers?

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•To examine the evolution of masculinity and how brands and consumers have been responding to this.

•To determine how men, below the age of 30, define masculinity, and if they feel brands embody that definition.

•To discover if people think toxic masculinity in marketing and branding exists, and if it is having a negative impact on society.

•To investigate how some brands are reacting against traditional masculine stereotypes through their marketing and branding and measure their success.

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To understand if the stereotypes and definition of masculinity is changing, and if so, whether this is affecting how global brands are marketing and branding themselves.

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How are brands reinforcing masculine stereotypes which could have a negative impact on society?