Brand development consultant discusses why marketers should focus on men

Posted by Elena del Valle on November 20, 2009

Branding the Man book cover

Photo: Allworth Press

Bertrand Pellegrin, an international branding consultant, is convinced that men are fond of shopping and that they don’t shop as much as they might because stores are designed for women and don’t cater well to men. In the newly published Branding the Man Why Men Are the Next Frontier in Fashion Retail (Allworth Press, $27.50) he offers retailers, buyers and marketers suggestions to capture that often elusive demographic group.

Pellegrin believes today’s man is more confident in his shopping choices than his predecessors. This modern male shopper pays attention to his appearance and grooming and looks for fashionable clothes, sports, electronics, fitness, sex and related items that are a good value, according to the author. In the book, he addresses the men’s retail environment including store design, purchasing, sourcing, merchandising, marketing, promotions and advertising.

The 201-page hardcover book is divided into 14 chapters and two appendices, and includes 60 black and white images. According to promotional materials, Pellegrin specializes in strategic positioning, customer insight and creative direction in retail.

In the past, he worked with Gensler Worldwide, Lane Crawfor, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Lotte department stores in Korea. Before that the San Francisco resident was an award-winning television producer and director.