The Era of Delicate Men Has Come?

When you pass by a Tiffany shop this month, don’t be surprised to see more men than women there. But you should be surprised when you find out that these men are buying Tiffany’s products for themselves.

The well-known jewelry brand announced the launch of its first full men’s collection on August 15. Though Tiffany has sold some items for male consumers in the past including cufflinks, rings and money clips, this new offering spans nearly 100 different designs across jewelry, home goods, and other accessories.

Accessories for a guy’s next glamping trip.

For many people, the conventional persona of a Tiffany customer may be a young woman who has great passion to pursue fashions and certain economic power. But actually, according to data provided by Tiffany’s chief artistic officer Reed Krakoff, half of their consumers are men while most of them are buying women’s jewelry for their partners.

The idea is that for male consumers, they’ll now have more products to choose from if they’re shopping for themselves, which a growing number probably are. According to data from market research provider Euromonitor International, sales of men’s luxury fine jewelry rose nearly 22% between 2013 and 2018, reaching roughly $5.8 billion. The firm projects those sales will increase to about $6.6 billion by 2023. The idea is also considered by many people as part of the Tiffany’s strategy to attract younger shoppers and pump up sales, which have been dampened by a decline in spending by tourists from China and elsewhere.

Tiffany says sales to Chinese tourists are plummeting because of the trade war

Before this, every time Tiffany is connected to males, it is used as an example for students to distinguish two similar definitions- the target audience and the target consumers. But right now, it seems that its strategies are going to erase the line between these two. For Tiffany, the launch of this new product line is not only aiming to explore a new market, but also to find and motivate new needs. According to researchers, men are becoming more and more aware of their performance in appearance and clothing, and their interest in the beauty industry is keep increasing. Men are more “delicate” than ever and their needs have been underrated for a long time.

Will this action lead to an increase in Tiffany’s revenues or a complete change in its brand image? Many people concern that this product series for men may lead to a temporary increase in revenues but it may have a long-term negative effect on the distinction between Tiffany and its competitors. But as far as I’m concerned, what has changed is not the brand itself, but the era and consumers. When we first mention Tiffany, the first thing that occurs in our mind is still its unique brand color, and the high quality and good taste behind it. It’s still using right and unified strategies to approach the right people.

On the other hand, this strategy successfully makes me, a man who barely pays attention to this company, become interested and write a blog about it. Whether people like me will buy its products in the future or not, at least we begin to know about it, which means massive potential opportunities.