Positive portrayals of men in ads boost brand equity and sales

This International Men’s Day, the new report from Kantar, Connecting with men: How brands can decode modern masculinity, reveals critical insights into the identity challenges men face and why brands and advertisers must rethink how they engage with changing male audiences.

Top global findings:

• Campaigns with positive portrayals of men have a commercial advantage (+37 percentile points higher than ads with negative portrayals in building long-term brand equity).
  
• Masculinity is intersectional:

  • More than twice as many LGBTQ+ men feel negatively represented by advertising (20%) compared with non-LGBTQ+ men (8%).
    
  • 30% of men with a thinking or learning disability feel poorly represented, along with 20% of men with mental health conditions and 16% of men with any disability. That’s versus just 7% of men with no disability.

• Two thirds of men in adverts are under 40, overrepresented younger men and often neglecting older experiences.
  
• Men, especially younger generations, are experiencing a cultural turning point. One quarter of American Gen Z men see themselves as either equally masculine and feminine or more feminine – three times more than Boomers.

Why masculinities matter for brands

Amid a rise in mental health concerns, the emergence of toxic ‘role models’, and changing expectations in family and work life, men are struggling to redefine their roles. But masculinity isn’t just a social issue – it’s a business imperative. Kantar’s study shows that ads which score high on the Male Gender Unstereotype Metric, which captures whether portrayals of men set a good example for others, perform better than ads which don’t: they are 37 percentile points higher when it comes to building long-term brand equity and 21 percentile points higher for short-term sales likelihood.

“Masculinity matters to marketers because advertising is part of the cultural fabric and shapes how we see men. 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. Those that don’t embrace a broader view of masculinity risk losing ground to competitors that are more progressive,” says Věra Šídlová, global creative thought leadership director at Kantar. “Whether showing men as caregivers, emotionally aware partners, or self-reflective individuals, brands that evolve with these changes can make a real impact in society and on the bottom line, as customers see themselves in their marketing and form a more meaningful connection.”

The Tate of the nation

As society grapples with modern masculinity, toxic role models like Andrew Tate have gained prominence on social media. Despite being banned from most major platforms, his content persists through fan accounts. Since returning to X in 2022 after a two-year ban, Tate has gained over 10 million followers. However, Kantar engagement data reveals that likes on his posts have dropped by 42% and reposts are down 27% (October ‘23-24 vs October ‘22-23). This suggests many of followers may monitor his output but not support his views.

Spotlight on traditionally gendered categories

While the business case for engaging with men is clear, brands which continue to overlook men’s perspectives in traditionally gendered categories risk missing out on substantial market opportunities.

Baby products: Only 24% of baby product ads are tested with men: a missed opportunity to engage the growing audience of fathers actively involved in childcare. In fact, more ads for pet products are tested with both genders (95%) than ads for baby care and food.
Household products: While men are taking on more responsibilities at home – especially as more live alone – the ad industry is not keeping pace. Only 15% of ad testing in home care seeks feedback from men. This is despite the fact that ads that portray men as active decision-makers in domestic life drive stronger engagement and resonate better.
Personal care: As societal expectations around masculinity evolve, men are becoming more involved in self-care. However, despite 40% of men using skin care products, 91% of creative testing focuses only on women. Brands need to rethink how they market to men, focusing more on emotional well-being and physical self-care.

Download the report here for more insights.

Methodology

This research draws on data from Kantar’s LINK database, Brand Inclusion Index, US MONITOR, and qualitative analysis across Brazil, Thailand, Turkey, and the US.

The Gender Unstereotype Metric is developed by Kantar and the Unstereotype Alliance and measures how well ads portray men in positive, progressive ways. Kantar analyses audience reactions through quantitative surveys and qualitative data then compares the results using two metrics: short-term sales likelihood, which predicts immediate sales impact, and the Demand Power Score, which predicts an ad’s potential to build long-term brand equity.

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