Kiwis move beyond the era of Brut force

By TIM WATKIN

New Zealand has moved past Brylcreem and Brut but still lies some distance behind the northern hemisphere's boom in boys' cosmetics.

Cosmetic manufacturers, such as Graham Taylor of Shieling Laboratories in Auckland, says: "We make hundreds of products and I don't think we've been asked for anything targeted at teenage boys."

The international firms pioneering the market overseas, such as L'Oreal and Proctor and Gamble, say they have no plans to introduce boys' products into New Zealand or Australia.

Despite the growth in men's cosmetics, they are not yet working their way down the generations.

That's foolish, says Dr Sarah Todd of Otago University's marketing department, a specialist in the behaviour of children as consumers. She concedes that less is known about the buying choices of teenage boys than any other demographic group.

"But anecdotally and in other ways teenage boys are savvy and conformist. They're definitely more fashion-conscious than ever. Companies will be silly if they don't come out with products for this market."

The multinationals' reluctance has meant opportunity for local firms. The Aromatherapy Company, which sells cosmetics through department stores and gift shops in New Zealand and Australia, has been surprised by the age of those buying their male products.

"It was a lot younger than expected," says general manager Sarah Townsend. "We didn't think they'd be interested. There's a big shortage of product for that age group, let alone men."

About 20 per cent of hits on the Aromatherapy Company website have been teenage boys, and that demographic makes up 10 per cent of the business. With a new line of body products, they intend to increase that to 15 per cent within six months.

"I think the fathers are using it more," Townsend says, "and there's a big swing towards taking better care of yourself. So it's a lot more acceptable."

Loretta George, general-manager of CS Health and Beauty, which imports adidas cosmetics aimed at 14 to 18-year-olds, is also aware of a growing trend.

"There are 14-year-olds who are very brand conscious ... they wouldn't want to be seen dead without a brand on their body. They are loyal to a brand, and that in turn encourages them to use more product and be more experimental in their options."

But only so experimental. George says there's big growth in the use of deodorant and shower gel. But facial scrubs and moisturisers? Well, these are still Kiwi kids.

Overseas, top sportsmen and stars have openly discussed and promoted the use of various pills, potions and perfumes. However, the New Zealand and Australian cosmetic marketers doubt that either the sports stars or the consumers are ready for that here.

"God forbid," George says. "It's not the macho image they're trying to portray."

One who agrees with that is player agent Roger Mortimer, whose charges include Hamish Carter, Shane Howarth and Kupu Vanisi. Aftershave is masculine enough, but don't expect to see any All Black being in a hurry to front an ad for hair or body cosmetics.

"It seems a very effeminate product to me," Mortimer says. "My initial gut feeling would be that I wouldn't feel comfortable marketing it."

Still, with the growing interest of teenage boys, it's only a matter of time before the average New Zealand man spends as much time on his scrubbing as he does on his scrummaging.

Then, at least when we lose to the French, we'll have a chance of looking as ruggedly stylish as they do.