Latino Males Prefer Vanity Over Machismo

NEW YORK - Hispanic men not only associate the use of grooming products with personal confidence and attractiveness, but also believe that looking good is a way to get ahead in life and at work, according to a new study commissioned and released by Univision. The findings of the study – Why Latinos Look So Good – were revealed today as part of a panel discussion in New York, with UnivisionÂ’s Giselle Blondet (“Nuestra Belleza Latina”); renowned actor Cristián de la Fuente (“Private Practice”); Ruth Gaviria, UnivisionÂ’s SVP of Corporate Marketing; David Salazar, Multicultural Manager for Target Guest Insights, Target; Samy, Celebrity Stylist; and Daniel Villarroel, AVP for Experiential & Diversity Marketing, Maybelline NY/Garnier.

The Univision study revealed three key grooming essentials for Latinos – they celebrate “vanidad” over “machismo;” personal care rituals go beyond the basics; and they say “speak my language, speak my culture.”

“The findings of Univision’s study prove that as marketers we have to shed the misperception of Hispanic men as ‘machos’ and start to look at them as ‘vanidosos’ who take extra care of their appearance,” said Ruth Gaviria, SVP of Corporate Marketing, Univision Communications. “Latinos derive a significant amount of self-esteem from smelling, looking and feeling their best and now routinely engage in more refined personal care, such as nail care, lotions and neat trimming, with more frequency than non-Hispanics. This makes Latinos part of an extremely strong and vibrant growth opportunity for male personal care brands.”

Celebrate “Vanidad” Over Machismo
Respondents believe that “the way people see you is the way they treat you” and identified themselves as “vanidosos.” For Hispanic men, being “vanidoso” is just another way to say “I take care of myself.” While the use of grooming products to feel attractive to the opposite sex is a key factor (66 percent), it came in second to the workplace. Seventy-six percent of Hispanic males said: “It is important to use grooming products to maintain my appearance in the work place.” Reflective of this mindset, more Hispanics (32 percent) said they “want to get to the very top of their careers” than non-Hispanics (12 percent).”

Personal care goes beyond the basics
Latinos are on par with non-Latinos on the number of times per week they use “basic” grooming products like body wash and shampoo/conditioner, however they use “non-basics” like hair styling products (3.4 vs. 1.7), moisturizer (3.7 vs. 2.0) and fragrance (4.2 vs. 2.9) more often per week. Because of that, they spend $8 more per month than non-Latinos on personal care products. Hispanic men engage in grooming behaviors previously considered only for women. Manicures, pedicures and eyebrow grooming are part of the Latino man’s personal care ritual. Respondents said: “I shower twice a day” (34 percent vs 16 percent for non-Hispanics) and “I use eye cream for my wrinkles.” Among all categories of grooming products, scent is a major purchasing factor with Hispanic men. Some 64 percent surveyed said yes to the statement: “I am a scent seeker” (vs. 31 percent for non-Hispanics).

Speak my language, speak my culture
Respondents expressed a deeper, cultural connection with ads in Spanish and described them as more relevant and relatable. “Commercials get in your head little by little. When I see a commercial in English, it sinks in a little, but then when I see a commercial in Spanish and it gets me!” For Latinos, ads also need to be more educational (35 percent) than for non-Hispanics (17 percent). Hispanic men enjoy trying new products they see on TV (29 percent) more than non-Hispanics (15 percent). Spanish-language television and radio ads ranked directly behind in-store demos (the No. 1 factor) as leading factors driving brand purchases.

Hispanic men account for nearly 20 percent of all men aged 18-34 in the U.S. – 1 in 5 men between the ages of 18 and 49 is Hispanic. In key markets like Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami, 1 out of every 2 men aged 18 to 34 is of Hispanic origin.