The before and after pictures have a new face. Instead of a frumpy woman turned bikini model, men can expect to see more guys in weight-loss ads. NutriSystem, for example, has a new program for men. And more diet companies also are expected to target guy dieters.
During the low-carb craze, the diet industry realized that men also diet, said Harry Balzer of The NPD Group, a market-research firm.
“It’s not a trend in dieting. Men have always dieted, but low carb opened up the possibility that men would pay for a specialized diet,” Balzer said. At any point in time, according to Balzer, one in five men is on a diet. By contrast, one in four women says she is on a diet. That means the market is big enough to sell man diets, and it may become more common.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were companies that just marketed toward men,” Balzer said.
But how will they market? Will advertisers go for beautiful women in bikinis admiring trim men? Or use athletic idols that guys have admired since their Little League days?
NutriSystem for men went with the athletic approach. The company has five former NFL players as spokesmen, including Dan Marino. “Hey, if it’s good enough for these star athletes, it can work for you, too,” reads the NutriSystem Web site.
While NutriSystem is using athletes to play offense, Balzer said it’s too early to tell whether other companies will try the same strategy.
“I don’t think we’ve figured out what is the way to market to men,” Balzer said. “I think we’re looking at the initial stages.”