Triumphrat

DeanRider

A poster on another thread stated earlier today: "The only reason I ride a motorcycle is the Bonneville. I'm really not that into motorcycles".

This got me into thinking about metrosexuality and the motorcycle market. From what I can see, much of Triumph's advertising in recent years appears to target and exploit the growing metrosexual market. This is particularly the case with some of its market campaigns and use of male and female models. That said, its Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando 'The Wild One' marketing strategy appears to exploit the machismo image associated with that period.

According to quotes in the Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosexual Metrosexuality can be defined as:

"Metrosexual man, the single young man with a high disposable income, living or working in the city (because that’s where all the best shops are), is perhaps the most promising consumer market of the decade. In the Eighties he was only to be found inside fashion magazines such as GQ, in television advertisements for Levi's jeans or in gay bars. In the Nineties, he’s everywhere and he’s going shopping."

More recently, in identifying David Beckham as the metrosexual poster boy, salon.com offered this updated, succinct definition:

"The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis — because that’s where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference."

A final quote I like is taken from Mark Simpson's Metrosexy - A 21st Century Self-Love Story, e-published in 2011 and serialized in the UK newspaper, The Independent, where he makes some important observations that appear to describe present metrosexual trending:

“Contrary to what you have been told, metrosexuality is not about flip-flops and facials, man-bags or manscara. Or about men becoming ‘girlie’ or ‘gay’. It’s about men becoming everything. To themselves. In much the way that women have been for some time. It’s the end of the sexual division of bathroom and bedroom labour. It’s the end of sexuality as we’ve known it.”

With rapid changes taking place in masculinities in general across the globe, what do others think? Am I wrong to make the connection?

brumfitt

Interesting stuff - I thought it meant shagging on public transport

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HAP

I am to old for the ad companies and self described experts to be redefining narcissistic behavior as the new, accepted male standard.

"At the core of extreme narcissism is egotistical preoccupation with self, personal preferences, aspirations, needs, success, and how he/she is ..." quote from a typical psych text from Google search. Not much different except it is hard to use the term narcissist when trying to sell your marketing style to a client.

Just call it what it is.

BrewDudeBob

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leftarmlogan

So he masturbates then?

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berkdogg

It sounds like some marketing strategy by the shopping industry. They weren't satisfied with only gay guys getting perfume, facials, and outfits for dinner parties. So, they tried to come with a way to make more of the male population shop like gay people. Label a famous Soccer star a metrosexual, and a few dim wits will follow.

Dan McGrath

Interesting article Deano. Selling an image to move a product is an art, perhaps "Schlock Art". I've wondered about the very fashionable looking models used in Triumph motorcycle adverts and find myself cringing. But I can say the same for many adverts. You just have to laugh. Myself, I'm older than I'd like to admit, my riding buddy is 78, freaking High Speed Geezers gone bad. They won't sell too many bikes with that picture.......

BigAl8295

I socialize with a number of people that treat their Triumph Bonneville as a fashion statement instead of a motorcycle.

They are mostly "Hipster/city dwellers" that ride to the bar or art show and then back home.

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hlmiskelly

I personally think this is just an advertising scheme to create new markets, one that played out over the past 30 years. If advertising can get men as interested in fashion, personal appearance, make-up (check out Korean men and make-up), etc. then they effectively double the market for the associated products. You can really see this playing out in the sexualization of younger and younger kids.

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Lasermax

I would be too busy riding to bother socializing with them.