When an early cut of the "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad was met with internal confusion, the brand team conducted impromptu research. They went to a bar, bought drinks for patrons in exchange for watching the ad, and observed their raw, unfiltered reactions, giving them confidence in the unconventional creative.

MANSCAPED is evolving its brand from a niche "ball trimming" identity to a broader "man care everywhere" position. This strategic shift required them to develop creative that maintained their signature humor without relying solely on their original edgy messaging, a crucial step for long-term growth.

Data reveals that Super Bowl ads scoring highest with women also tend to be the top performers overall, including with men. Conversely, ads most popular with men are less predictive of total success. This highlights a significant missed opportunity, as women drive 85% of household purchasing decisions.

To reach a male audience without alienating its core female base, beverage brand Poppy ran male-centric partnerships (Lakers, gamers) but intentionally kept that content off its primary social media feeds. This segmented approach allowed for audience expansion while preserving its core brand identity.

Lauder realized women rarely bought perfume, seeing it as a scandalous gift received from men. She sidestepped this cultural barrier by creating "Youth Dew," a bath oil that doubled as a perfume. This genius reframing gave women permission to buy a luxury for themselves, creating an entirely new market.

TV's co-viewing nature and broader reach helped Manscaped uncover a significant audience they hadn't targeted: women buying products for men. This insight led them to test and find success on traditionally female-skewing networks like Bravo and E!, expanding their market beyond initial assumptions.

Dough Guy, a pizza brand with a mostly male audience, should expand into related "male-coded" baking like cast-iron brownies. This targets the existing customer's identity and interests, rather than just expanding into the generic "baking" category, which might not resonate as strongly.

Uncertain about the unconventional "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad, the junior brand team conducted their own ad hoc research. They went to a brewery, bought beers for patrons, and showed them the ad on laptops to gauge real-time reactions from both men and women.

The meat snack category is traditionally masculine. Chomps followed suit until data revealed their "healthy achiever" customer was predominantly female. This insight prompted a total rebrand, shifting from a generic "cow brand" logo to a more fun, approachable identity that resonated and unlocked growth.