UNMANLY PRESENCE: Home Furnishings can be a man’s sport if presented as the new objects of their desire

Rarely are home furnishings presented well, or at all, in many men’s publications. Neither in evocative editorial nor advertising messages, the absence of sofas, chairs, beds, tables and accessories are conspicuously missing.

Seems these publications never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Clearly, the absence of any virile and mercantile appeal to the sensitive, inner man and how satisfyhing the satisfaction-driven beast can be good business and beautiful.

Want a classic example? Just look at September’s Men’s Journal. No less billed as the “Style & Design Issue,” with virtually no mention and just a brief, brief passing of anything resembling furniture or home furnishings.

There, among the insufferable verbiage, luring and lurid ads filled with expected babes, cars, jewelry, cigars, apparel and liquor amidst a vast array of incredible, boy toys.

Here's the skimpy clad home furnishings offering in the manly publication: A $7,700 space age recliner from Domus (page 118), plus a way-out stacking patio ensemble obelisk at $9,890 (page 120) and a Knu eco desk at $1,460 (page 122) which was more of a sleek table.

Sorry if my innured mind missed any other home furnishings item that was clearly inconspicuous in a veritable cornucopia of hot stuff. If it existed in those pages heralding conspicuous consumption, the missing home furnishings probably was buried under the bounty and booty.

For whatever reason, the Men’s Journal editorial and the publishing staffs are apparently oblivious to the significant appeal of great furniture that can presented as objects of male desire. Surprisingly, the slick pages didn't even present a classic male chauvinistic, hedonistic bed all tussled about after a ravishing escapade. What gives?

Men's Journal needs a couple of savvy women editors and ad directors who know how to appeal to men. They know that men want home furnishings, with the right romance and call to action.

To the mag's top man, Jan Wenner, get out from that Rolling Stone and turn on your male readers to the home furnishings in all the appealing ways to get into those shapely drawers, caress some great legs, tickle the fine doors, snuggle with lovely cushions and do it on the wall with fantastic images viewed under the loving light of a fixture of one’s most romantic dreams.

What retailers and manufacturers can do? Find ways to appeal to men's desire to please themselves and their partners, spouses and significant others with the MANtra of living better, vigorously and manly with home furnishings.

Just ask a woman.

Comments

[The Furniture Guy]

AMEN! I can't remember the last time I saw furniture really marketed at men. When I worked on the shofloor, even I had a tendency to "sell to the wife/woman." The truth is that the men always cared, especially about value andconstruction.