By Kate Rourke, director, head of creative for APAC, Getty Images
“Masculine energy.” Traditionally, these words have been associated with stoicism, dominance, and power. But as the global debate surrounding masculinity pervades news feeds, definitions of masculinity are evolving. With noise coming from mainstream media and anonymous comment sections alike, marketers and consumers are in uncertain territory.
Ideas around masculine energy are shifting, but they’re also nuanced, illuminating a disconnect between how men are portrayed in visual media and how they perceive themselves. For 61% of Australian men, this re-evaluation of masculine energy is a welcome change, suggesting that marketers might benefit from reconsidering their own visual content strategies where men are depicted. Authentic representations are crucial for brands wanting to strike the right balance, but when opinions evolve in different directions, this is a difficult task.
Kate Rourke
Understanding Australian perspectives
The majority of Australians believe men should be whoever they want to be, regardless of societal expectations. Getty Images’ VisualGPS research shows that this is the point Australian men and women agree on most, with 81% and 89% respectively agreeing that masculinity can take on many forms. The roles men play in society are shifting, and their ideas about what it means to be a man are following suit.
In the workplace, the roles of men look drastically different to traditional expectations. Our research reveals that work-life balance is more important to Australian men than both men in other countries (56% compared with 46%) and Australian women (47%). They are also much more likely to prioritise time with family and friends over chasing success or progressing their careers, which reflects the 80% of Australian men who believe empathy and emotional intelligence are the true test of strength – more than external validation or accolades gained from climbing the corporate ladder.
Organisations may be divided on their perceptions of “masculine energy,” but men themselves are embracing these new masculine expectations. Our research reveals that the traditional image of the “career man” is losing appeal – for the first time, marketers are increasingly choosing visuals that showcase men in lifestyle settings over business ones, a complete shift that has taken place over just one year. No matter what society’s expectations are, Australian men care about being authentic to themselves – and want to see their most vulnerable, emotional, and real selves portrayed in images and video.
The visual representation lag
As traditional masculinity continues to evolve, there’s an opportunity for marketers to take a deeper look at their audience and the world around them. An intentional approach is crucial for brands wanting to focus on what matters to their customers while staying true to their brand values. However, as attitudes toward masculinity change, this is a slow evolution. Rather than a strategy overhaul, brands can start making thoughtful moves to capture these changing attitudes more accurately in their visual content.
Brands can expand how consumers visualise men by broadening their ideas of what a man can be, and championing authentic representations of gender rather than getting caught up in the noise.