Metrosexual man has arrived in Indonesia: AC Nielsen
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
What does singer Titi DJ think about metrosexual men?
"I have no problem with them, as they are well groomed. Women are not the only ones expected to constantly appear beautiful and smell good.
"Being a metrosexual man, however, should have a certain limit. When such men become bigger consumers than women, especially in shopping, that would be a problem," she told upmarket women's magazine dewi a while ago.
It may be a problem for Titi, but the phenomenon of an emerging breed of modern, straight, stylish, sensitive, well groomed men, is every retailer's dream.
A recent AC Nielsen survey found that global personal care product sales had expanded quite aggressively, pushed by the blossoming of metrosexual men, a phenomenon that also has hit Indonesia.
AC Nielsen Southeast Asia managing director Farquhar Stirling suggested personal care retailers and personal care producers take advantage of this trend.
AC Nielsen defines a metrosexual man as an urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.
Soccer superstar David Beckham is the quintessential metrosexual. "Becks" is famous for his stylish haircuts and for wearing a sarong and pink nail polish.
The survey found that globally, face cleansing and moisturizing products sales grew by 7 percent last year to reach close to US$10 billion. This was followed by body cleansing and moisturizing products, which expanded 5 percent to above $20 billion, and hair care products, which grew 4 percent growth to almost $25 billion.
"One of the key trends that emerged in the personal care industry was the blossoming of the metrosexual men," said Stirling in a discussion forum last week.
The global surveyor firm predicted that next year, sales of men's adult cologne in this country would grow 2.5 times faster than overall adult cologne sales.
While sales of adult cologne is expected to grow by 14 percent next year, sales of men's cologne is predicted to surge by 35 percent.
Men's toilet soap is also projected to enjoy strong sales growth of 23 percent next year, compared to overall sales growth of toilet soaps of only 19 percent.
Not less impressive, the sale of men's hair styling products is projected to grow by 33 percent.
Indonesia's economy is expected to grow by about 4.8 percent this year, and accelerate to about 5.4 percent next year.
Indonesian Retail Merchants Association chairman Handaka Santosa said that retailers were adapting to the latest lifestyle trend.
Department stores have now rearranged the layout of their product displays to accommodate metrosexual man, he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.
"We usually have fragrance displays targeted at female customers. Now, department stores like SOGO are rearranging the displays for the convenience of male customers," he said.
He went on to say the trend not only concerned high-end department stores and retailers, as men in the lower to middle- end were also more concerned about their grooming.
As more Indonesian men go shopping, enjoy spa treatments, wear fragrances and follow the latest fashion trends, however, there are still some women out there who are not attracted to metrosexual men.
Singer and former MTV VJ Shanty is among the women who prefer a more "traditional" man.
"No, I do not like metrosexual men ... as I had some bad experiences with one. When we were shopping together, he was confused trying to choose between five black pairs of trousers. To me, they were all the same. Later, it took him ages to finish grooming. I stopped going out with him," she told dewi.
With Graphics