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11 September 2007
Mumbai, India
Getting dressed up, splashing after-shave or applying moisturizer is acceptable, but anything more than that might just be taboo even for the trendiest men. However times have changed. According to a Nielsen survey conducted amongst 1,000 SEC A and B men in four cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad on Male Grooming, every second Indian man from Metros has a monthly date with the beauty salon.
Today’s men are less inhibited when it comes to looking good and do indulge in image enhancing products and treatments. The Nielsen survey reveals that three in five single men claim they try to look stylish at all times. The importance of the male grooming market in India is clear, with the market worth Rs.695 crores (YTD Jan'07) and growing at a rate of 11 percent. In Metros alone, it is growing at 12 percent .The categories witnessing significant growth include Creams, Gels and Deodorants. As if on cue, the markets have witnessed the launch of several beauty products targeting men-only in recent years.
“Whether it is increasing disposable incomes or greater exposure to the West, men indulging themselves in a daily beauty regime does not seem a far-fetched idea at all. Looking ahead, one can only speculate about the good times ahead for marketers targeting the male form,” said Vatsala Pant, Associate Director, Client Solutions, The Nielsen Company.
Besides visiting a beauty salon, one in three Indian men claim they visit a hair salon two to three times a month. Besides the most common activity – haircut – head massage and hair coloring are the next two most popular activities when they visit the salon. It’s interesting to note that getting hair colored is more of a priority than a head massage for men in Mumbai and Delhi compared to men in other cities surveyed, especially among those aged 25-30 and earning Rs.10,000 and above!
Though Indian men have started experimenting with more specific products relating to skin care, wrinkle care and eye care, thus far, only 11 percent of them indulge in facial treatments. The survey indicates huge potential for threading, pedicures and manicures with less than five percent of men engaging in such treatments.
Meanwhile, the men’s skin care market not only faces competition from within the industry but must also compete with other sectors where male consumers spend their discretionary money. More than half of the men surveyed said they would rather spend their excess cash on eating out or recreation, trendy clothes and new accessories, ahead of personal grooming activities and related products.
“Someone who enters the salon with an open mind will soon be tempted to try newer services. In the status-conscious society of India, beautifying might rank ahead of basic grooming; and a fair skinned male might even become the basic qualification for every prospective groom,” commented Pant.
“Whichever way we go, beauty and grooming categories can go only northwards.”
About the survey
The survey was conducted amongst working men, age 25 years and above, SEC A and B, in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad. With a sample size of 1000, interviews were done as commercial area intercepts across the geographical spread of the city.
The findings of the survey are indicative.
About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
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