The term “metrosexual” has not only become a juggernauting imprint to describe the emerging male consumer, but a booming 8 billion dollar a year industry. The numbers have unquestionably seized the attention of investors and conglomerates both domestically and abroad. This is not surprising seeing as how the US holds a 2.4 billion dollar share of those 8 billion dollar earnings and is expected to grow about 20% by the year 2010. In such a saturated market, how does one stand out with a new brand of skincare products introducing itself at every moment? I spoke to Pat Parsi, founder and president of Texas based male grooming company Billy Jealousy, and he believes that while beauty and skin care products are formulated to highlight the aesthetic, one cannot help but wonder: “why not blend substance with style?”

Branding perhaps can be the most effective tool in securing your staying power. A brand can attribute a personality and an image that can translate into something special or unique. Creating an image, or a symbol, that represents a philosophy and an identity that the consumer wants to associate him/herself with can be a very powerful thing especially in a world driven by status and image.

Billy Jealousy is a great example of how a great brand works. The male grooming brand defines itself as being “effortless yet edgy, playful, but still polished” making it more attractive to those who define themselves as metrosexual and “un-metrosexual.” The brand has also garnered attention from both the beauty and entertainment industry, collecting awards and acclaim as well as celebrity endorsements, not only for its product, but for its branding efforts as well.

Pat explains, “I always felt that formulas are subjective and name, packaging, design, distribution, awards, celebrity endorsements, etc., play a big role on why some brands take off more than others. That’s why I tried to create a lifestyle brand with Billy Jealousy. I see our name being on almost anything. I very much admired how Ralph Lauren, Tommy Bahama and Paul Smith were able to create lifestyle brands that covered a broad spectrum of goods and services.”

He wasn’t kidding, the Billy Jealousy brand recently launched its new fragrance “ILLICIT,” stamping the bottle with its signature dragon and its Billy jealousy humor, “WARNING: Keep away from heat, flame, minors and probation officers. Billy Jealousy can only be shipped via ground due to hazmat regulations.”

Billy Jealousy, in its attempts to corner every market, is a bold way to stay visible and a pricey one at that. With every brand trying to elbow its way to the top, decked out with designed logos and marketing strategies, sometimes substance can fortify style. Small busineses, or even sensations like Billy Jealousy, do not have the means or the budget to make additional brand enhancements. This is when vision and creativity become invaluable resources in an otherwise competitive market.

Written by d/visible contributor Pamela Manlulu

This entry was posted on Friday, February 23rd, 2007 at 12:18 pm and is filed under Business, Culture, Branding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.