There are some brands that have instant cut-through sex appeal. Not the raunchy kind, but a direct attraction for either men or women. In 2005, for example, Diet Coke tried a unisex strategy with ads featuring a tortoise, but the risk to its 'Diet Coke Break' brand equity proved too much: it soon brought back its highly successful, overtly sexual-stereotype ads aimed at women.
So, if brands have a natural gender fit, why risk alienating the core market to appeal to a broader constituency? Ginsters, for example, is a brand many would cite as clearly 'male'. Nonetheless, Ginsters' marketers realised a few years ago that they could boost sales by encouraging in-home consumption. For that, they needed women to buy the brand during the weekly shop.
Now, however, it's back to basics with a £6.5m ad, created by Grey, directly targeting men. The 'Man plea' spot, which broke earlier this month and features a man making a heartfelt plea to a pasty, is clever in that it recognises men as its consumers, but plays to women, who are still seen by FMCG brands as the 'gatekeepers' to the home.
'The campaign uses men as brand advocates, but it needs to target women too,' says Ginsters' marketing director, Andy Valentine. 'We know we are a masculine brand, but we try to be as inclusive as possible.'
The key for gender-specific brands wanting to extend their appeal is to consider the placement of their ads, he says. Ginsters has opted for ad spots between Dancing on Ice and FA Cup coverage to maximise its chances of reaching both men and women.
Valentine also believes that Ginsters' switch to TV advertising from radio and outdoor has sprung the brand into the female consciousness.
Another way to broaden a brand's reach without tarnishing its draw to its core market is to target a 'mindset'.
'The received wisdom is not to focus on a demographic,' says Andy Nairn, chief strategy officer at Dare. He points to drinks brands Carling and Johnnie Walker, which have succeeded in extending their appeal without losing their personalities.
'Carling has a very masculine personality, but its advertising does not exclude women,' adds Nairn. 'It is sort of "matey" in its ads, but women can empathise - they have mates too.'
Brands as diverse as Dulux and Head & Shoulders have used varying techniques to broaden their audience. The former has introduced packaging designs and formats intended to appeal more to women. Procter & Gamble-owned Head & Shoulders, meanwhile, was originally a medicinal brand, but through more inclusive advertising it is now the biggest shampoo in the UK by some distance. Only one of its 13 variants is specifically for men.
Perhaps the safest approach, however, is to take gender out of the equation altogether. According to Colin Mechan, chairman and creative director at design agency Bos, the key to success is to be 'active androgynous'.
'You can divide brands between those that are "asexual", so display no assets, and "active androgynous", which display male and female traits,' he explains. 'It is brands like Walkers and Kettle Chips, which court both men and women through their marketing, that achieve major success.'
EXPERT VIEW - A MAN'S WORLD
Peter Davis Managing director of getmemedia.com, worked at Nestle on the 'Not for girls' relaunch of Yorkie in 2001.
Yorkie had a great heritage, but it had a slightly dated brand image a decade ago. Sales were doing OK, but a unique opportunity existed in the chocolate sector for a bar for men. Thus, the 'Not for girls' concept was delivered from a very simple insight and gap in the market.
Confectionery appears to many as a female-dominated category, so why not have a chocolate bar specifically for men? The campaign delivered a clear message on-pack in a fun, 'cheeky chappy' manner, which was inoffensive to women.
The Yorkie campaign included TV, radio, magazines and online, but the results were amplified by huge PR because of the nature of the campaign. Sales increases naturally followed - with just as many of the sales coming from women as men.
CASE STUDY - WKD FOR MEN
WKD launched in 1996 into the burgeoning RTD category, pitting itself against the dominant female-focused brands, such as Bacardi Breezer. As WKD launched with an Original Vodka Iron Brew variant, it looked more like a lager or a cider, with packaging that appealed more to men.
WKD marketing director Deb Carter says that it seemed obvious to target men in a traditionally female category. 'If we are going to grow a category, why stock something similar to what is (already) out there?'
Carter adds that much of the £215m-brand's success can be attributed to being careful not to marginalise women. 'The key is joint male-female advertising opportunities, particularly around social occasions, like last year's football World Cup. Our advertising is a delicate balance, as we still want to appeal to females.'