Toolkit 2024: Masculinity in Crisis

The meaning of masculinity has changed across the world, with many men searching for identity in a new and complicated context – and it’s important that brands adjust their advertising and influencer strategies to reflect emerging models of masculinity, the WARC Marketer’s Toolkit 2024 finds.

WARC members can read the full report here. 

If you’re not yet a member, you can find a sample of the report here.

Why masculinity matters

There is a crisis in masculinity, and it’s increasingly driving young men to search for new, and often toxic, role models. This will have profound implications for brands – from how they position and communicate their brand, the celebrities and brand ambassadors they endorse, to the influencers and content creators they choose to work with.

Almost two out of three marketers surveyed in the 2024 Marketer’s Toolkit believe there is a need to change how they communicate with young men, with just 11% disagreeing. 

What’s going on

• The shift away from manufacturing economies across the Western world over the past several decades has cost millions of jobs in developed countries.
• The ‘Unstereotype Metric,’ which measures progressive gender portrayals in global advertising, found only single-digit percentages of ads showing either gender in non-traditional roles.
• As with many other social issues, brands that commit to challenging stereotypes of manhood should also anticipate that not everyone will support them.
• Brands need to be clear on their position and long-term strategy, and then stay committed to it. Flip-flopping on social issues could be the worst of all options.

[WARC AI Image]