which often pokes fun at bodily waste. On its Instagram account, there are countless photos and video memes featuring the poop emoji or other obvious references that point to Dude Wipes as the male consumer’s saviour. Personal-care brand Dr. Squatch engages in a more grown-up, but no less comedic, style of content to highlight its “better for you” ingredients for male customers. In one TikTok video, James Schrader, a comedian and one of the original spokesmen for the brand, presents a mock history lesson about soap. Schrader explains that the soap industry, or “big soap,” began veering away from natural ingredients and started using chemical ingredients, such as parabens, after WWI to cut costs. Schrader said this had led to side effects such as depression, low sperm count and “worst of all, dry skin.” Facing a buff male actor clad only in a purple Speedo, Schrader says in a dryly comedic tone, “Your poor balls. All dry, empty and sad.” Speaking to a neglected consumer base It wasn’t so long ago that companies like Gillette were tackling masculinity and other social issues in sincere marketing campaigns created during the “Me Too” movement. Why then do many men’s brands seem to be embracing a more macho sensibility today? Future Commerce CEO Phillip Jackson thinks this shift simply reflects the manosphere’s growing cultural influence on consumer behaviour. “Starting with media personalities like Joe Rogan, Andrew Huberman and Jordan Peterson, along with the trends they represent – such as cold plunges and creatine supplements – we see this as a growing cultural backlash, whether subtle or overt,” Jackson told Inside Retail. “This backlash manifests in both masculine and feminine forms, including the tradwife, which is anything but traditional, and is always supported by commercial avenues, i.e., products to buy.” Nick Gray, founder of retail consultancy I Got You, traces the origins of the trend further back. “What we’re seeing here, in my opinion, is a shift or recalibration of masculinity, especially among our younger men who haven’t really felt seen in mainstream retail,” Gray told Inside Retail. “For decades, brands have defaulted to a ‘design for her, and he’ll follow’ approach. Women typically hold double the buying power and influence, so the assumption is often, ‘if we get it right with her, we’ll definitely get it right with him.’” A 2024 report released by global marketing research firm NielsenIQ backs this up, revealing that women have 70 to 80 per cent influence on all consumer spending today. This strategy of appealing to female consumers has shaped everything from product design to tone of voice, Gray said. “Yet, the unintended consequence was that male consumers, especially younger ones, often felt like an afterthought. What’s emerging now is a wave of brands that are speaking to men first and doing it without apology,” he added. Data shows there is an enormous opportunity for brands to capture male consumers in retail categories that traditionally focused on women only, such as wellness or childcare products. Market research firm Future Market Insights projects that the men’s skincare products market will grow from US$17.6 billion in 2025 to US$37.3 billion by 2035, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 per cent. Dr. Squatch’s clever conversation with men Launched in 2013, Dr. Squatch describes itself as offering “natural handmade soap to men who want to feel like a man, and smell like a champion.” While promoting natural “good for you” ingredients, the brand adheres to a firmly masculine aesthetic with scents and names like Pine Tar and Wood Barrel Bourbon, and products like wet wipes dubbed “Beast Wipes.” This macho messaging can be seen in the brand’s viral commercial for the 2021 Super Bowl, in which a bearded man in a forest compares other body washes to synthetic detergents. “But you’re not a dish, you’re a man,” he states. He goes on to say that Dr. Squatch is a brand “for men that build things, open pickle jars on the first try and slay dragons” and will help you smell “titillating.” More recently, the brand leaned into more “titillating” content with its Guys Only Want One Thing campaign, which featured actress Sydney Sweeney. In the campaign, the Anyone But You star explains that the only things guys want are non-synthetic body wash products that don’t make them smell “thirsty.” In a more controversial move, Dr. Squatch partnered with Sweeney to launch a limited-edition soap dubbed Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss, inspired by fan comments on social media following the release of the campaign. Whether or not the soap included Sweeney’s actual bathwater, nearly one million people entered a giveaway to receive 100 units of the limited-run product. The 5000 bars of soap available online sold out immediately upon release. The ad was widely covered by media, including The New York Times, Adweek and GQ, with some outlets complimenting the brand on its attention-getting campaign and others debating whether it spread a misogynistic message. John Ludeke, Dr. Squatch’s senior vice-president of global marketing, defended the campaign. He said Sweeney was in full control of her image throughout the collaboration, and that it was simply a way to capture consumer attention in a hyper-crowded market. “The biggest challenge that we, and I think brands in general, have these days is capturing people’s attention,” Ludeke said. “Consumers and fans are more distracted than ever. There’s more media and content hitting them than ever.” What can’t be denied is that the ad was extremely effective with the brand’s male audience. On June 23, Unilever announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire Dr. Squatch from growth equity firm Summit Partners. In a company release, Unilever’s personal care president Fabian Garcia stated: “Dr. Squatch has built a solid foundation and loyal following with highly desirable products and clever digital engagement strategies. Building on its success in the US, we are excited to scale the brand internationally and complement our offering in the fast-growing men’s personal care segment.” Globally, the men’s personal care market was valued at about US$30.8 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach US$67.2 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1 per cent from 2022 to 2030, consulting firm Grand View Research reported. How to market to the modern male consumer Gray said Dr. Squatch represents the benchmark of what a modern “dude” brand looks like when it scales. “There’s definitely something happening here with brands like Dr. Squatch and Dude Wipes tapping into a very specific kind of masculine energy. It’s irreverent, proud and often humorous in my opinion, but underneath that, it’s addressing a deeper gap, an identity gap,” he commented. “Young men are looking for brands that reflect their tone, humour and values. They also seem to like this anti-polish culture and prefer raw, memeable branding over perfect, curated aesthetics, coupled with belonging that comes through from humour.” So what’s the opportunity for retailers? “Simple, talk to him, not about him,” Gray explained. “Use a direct, confident and humorous tone and build a brand world to focus on and sell a mindset, not just a product. If they make it unpolished and authentic, it will win out over a more glossy image. Finally, it has to feel safe to care, so it gives men permission to engage in self-care without shame.”