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Health & Fitness

Supermen, Supermarkets and the Super Bowl

Men and grocery shopping? More than ever marketers will try to sell them, despite a football season that might go on hold.

If you have ever been prescreened for a market research survey, be it online, on the phone or in person, one of the key questions asked is whether or not you are the decision maker when it comes shopping for a class of items or more exactly, shopping for groceries.

Turns out, more now than ever, the person acting as a sole or joint decision maker isn’t "Ms." but "Mr." And this has profound indications as to the strength of our economy and changing gender roles as well as profound implications as to what ads and promotions we are all likely to see.

A recent study by Yahoo suggested that MORE THAN HALF of the interviewed men, ages 18-64 identified themselves as the primary grocery shopper in the household. Other research organizations have shown smaller percentages (more like 35 percent) still suggesting that some of these male shoppers have unexpectedly replaced their breadwinner role with that of domestic goddess.  

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In fairness, for those younger men in Generation X and Y,  a gender-neutral division of housework finds them in the supermarket too. (Gen X are roughly 30-50 years old; Gen Y or echo boomers – babies of baby boomers – were born roughly 18-48 years ago.)

Either way, advertisers are looking at ways to talk to this audience – in the most gender-neutral ways possible. For many brands in packaged goods, pet foods or health items --  you will see more of these products during network prime time television (8-11 p.m. on weeknights) rather than “female focused” cable television (OWN, Lifetime, etc.).

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So even if advertisers have to change gears in the message and media they use, additional  research suggests that men will pay full price because they tend to be more brand-loyal than women. It’s a win-win.

Until the NFL lockout.  

While we wait for the fate of the 2011 football season it appears that football programming (described by Advertising Age as the most “DVR-Proof forums for reaching men”) and its product-related promotions are under siege.

Not just beer and snack food, but brands and companies like Snickers, Pepsi and P&G have set special in-store deals to associate themselves with NFL football in 2011. A delayed season means that the television commercials that plug the store promotions and the store promotions themselves would have to be scaled back or eliminated.

There’s some contingencies in place, but print advertising (which has to be set months in advance) as well NFL-themed merchandise or store displays may possibly be released, even if they aren’t too relevant.

Ironically, a lot has been written about the fans, the players, the owners and the direct impact this lockout and a curtailed season will do to the game of football. Loss of wages, loss of ticket sales, loss of interest.

But after the months and months of planning, preparation and programming, it will do a lot of damage to the game marketers play with their male (and female) customers too.

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