Since Adolescence hit screens earlier this year, and with academic research suggesting a loneliness epidemic is taking hold, the problems facing young men are firmly in the public eye.
In the latest instalment of its “Mirror On” series, Channel 4 explores the challenges of modern masculinity, highlighting a need to better represent young men in advertising and suggesting ways advertisers can adapt to tackle this challenge.
According to Channel 4’s research, the younger men are, the more alienated from masculine identities they are likely to feel. While three-quarters of young men say they are “proud” to be a man, only four in ten believe that society treats masculinity positively.
The crux of this problem is found in the media they consume. Just 26% of men aged 18-34 say that they see the “kind of man they want to be” in advertising. This suggests the industry needs to do more to portray positive role models to young men, but navigating this sensitive landscape will prove challenging.
The role of men in society has evolved in recent decades. As the proportion of dual-income households has risen year-over-year, the status of men as the economic provider for their families has gradually eroded. And whilst Channel 4’s report finds a slim majority of young men still believe their role is to be a “breadwinner” and “leader”, these traditional definitions of masculinity were secondary to the ideals of integrity and being a good, loyal, family man.
This helps to explain why several admirable campaigns seeking to positively influence young men’s behaviour, such as Gillette’s The Best a Man Can Be, have failed to land among precisely that audience: portraying young men as anything but compassionate, family-oriented men runs counter to what most already perceive themselves to be.
In short, what young men see in media is too often defined by opposing poles: between misguided portrayals of them engaging in outdated behaviours and needing to change, and cynical marketing attempted to play up those very behaviours by selling sex and primal masculinity as symbols of success.
To navigate this complex landscape, brands must take an audience-centric approach. By listening to how this audience describe themselves, media can more accurately portray the pillars young men are striving towards yet feel are missing from most depictions.
Feeling the world around them is out of control, this cohort increasingly turns towards making incremental improvements, be that grinding the gym or hard work. While reflecting that drive to improve, it is equally important to showcase progress over perfection as many young men don’t feel they have earned the “right” to be a man.
Charisma is also lauded amongst this group. Young men expressed a sense of admiration of those closest to them who had “aura”; the confidence to step up and take the lead socially whether by making people laugh or engaging those around them.
While two-thirds of those surveyed by Channel 4 said they believed that “a real man controls his emotions”, they simultaneously concurred that they do not see enough emotionally open men in the media they consume. By depicting charismatic young men, brands can thus convey emotional openness in a positive light.
At a panel launching the research, Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, highlighted that male characters in advertising are often older. With trust in institutions facing a steep downward decline, there is a clear opportunity for adland to provide positive, grounded portrayals of young men.
Ensuring the above pillars are applied should not only drive greater affinity with brands, but more importantly will lead to positive changes in the way young men see themselves.
