In November 2017, a new men’s wellness startup, Hims, started business in California. Currently, it offers solutions for baldness and erectile dysfunction but plans to cover every aspect of men’s health. The company received lots of media reactions: Fast Company called it “Goop for men”, Racked called it “Glossier for Dudes”, and Vox co-founder Matthew Yglesias replied. “Whoa, a startup bro is literally marketing Rogaine and Propecia in millennial pink packaging as a new hair loss cure”.
The look and feel of Hims is pretty controversial. In my opinion, Hims has intended to flip cultural norms and stigma around serious items around men’s health and have been able to talk about these serious problems in a very friendly way. Looking at the packaging, I would have never guessed that the white bottles include prescription drugs. In addition to the look and feel of the packaging, the tone of voice of the brand is very millennial-focused. And although most men who experience these issues are older men, this ton of voice has been an interesting choice. In comparison to some of the older men’s brands that promise that their products would get you laid, Him’s messaging depicts a much more refined version of the male experience, one that idealizes creativity and encourages vulnerability.
In my opinion, Hims has done a great job changing the conversation and the culture around men’s health and all of that is done by new ways of marketing. While at the moment, it does not seem that this marketing is authentic because we are all used to how Axe and Old Spice typically talks about men’s related grooming or health, I think that we will look back and appreciate the openness of Hims.
Source: https://www.theringer.com/tech/2017/12/4/16722300/hims-male-wellness-anxiety-marketing
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