Catching the Upswing on Men’s Underwear
Issue #2137
- WEALTHY: How to jump into a huge profit stream flooding the market (Charles Delvalle)
- HEALTHY: A "cancer causer" that’s good for you? (Dr. Al Sears)
- WISE: Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the folly of man
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Tapping into a largely untapped market - 50% of the population (Michael Masterson)
- 2 easy ways to stay on schedule (Will Newman)
- It’s Good to Know… about the universe on the back of your hand
- Add "priapic" to your vocabulary
Your Computer Sucks
No, I’m not being impolite. I mean your computer sucks your time, your money and your life away from you.
Drip drip drip… out it goes.
But now there’s a way to turn that flow around… to stop GIVING all the time and start GETTING!
Join hundreds of your fellow ETR readers who are making the switch over to the “Other Side” of the Internet.
- Patrick Coffey
The Perfect Way to Profit from the Takeover Craze
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few months, you know that corporate takeovers have been one of the biggest reasons why the stock market is hitting new highs. The trick to successfully taking part in this huge profit stream that’s been hitting the market is to use value criteria when picking your investments.
You see, the whole point of value investing is to find a strong company that is very cheap. By cheap, I don’t mean a stock that costs five cents; I mean a stock that should be worth more money (according to numbers provided by the company) than it is trading for. For example, a company with a price-to-earnings ratio (which you can find on Yahoo Finance) that’s under 12 could be undervalued.
Investing in value companies limits your downside, because strong companies usually won’t get much cheaper than they already are. The bonus is that a cheap company is the primary target of private equity firms or larger corporations that are looking to make an acquisition. And when they finally do acquire that company, they’ll buy your shares at a premium, giving you a tidy profit. That’s what happened to Energy Metals (EMC.TO), a cheap uranium-exploration company that was eventually bought out by a bigger fish at a 20 percent premium.
So if you want to pick a company that has a good likelihood of being taken over, use value criteria - a low price-to-earnings ratio, big margins, and good cash flow - when you invest.
[Ed. Note: Charles Delvalle is a contributing editor to ETR's free daily investment e-zine, Investor's Daily Edge, which can help you identify the best value investments for your portfolio.]
"Provided a man is not mad, he can be cured of every folly but vanity."
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Catching the Upswing on Men’s Underwear
It took Steven Lien only 30 days to turn a profit. His idea for a new retail store had been ridiculed by experts and mocked by friends. "Everyone was like, ‘There’s no way that will work,’" he told David Colman of The New York Times.
Yet it did. His idea was to open a store that would sell unique and colorful offbeat brands of underwear to men. Although the market for men’s briefs has been fixed firmly in a conservative range of monotone colors for years, Lien had the sense that this was changing. He wanted to capitalize on what he thought was the next hot trend in men’s buying habits.
He named the business Under U 4 Men. He chose Portland’s business district for his first location. "I didn’t open on Gay Street, USA," he said. "I opened on Main Street."
Novelty briefs have been around for a long time, but they weren’t a big part of the men’s cotton-knit underwear market until two or three years ago. Last year, for the first time, brightly colored briefs sold better than standard whites, claiming just more than 50 percent of the $1.1 billion market.
Steven Lien wasn’t the only one who noticed and took advantage of this trend. Some of the big companies were paying attention, too. American Apparel began advertising its line of briefs two years ago, and has already sold more than a million pairs. And a Canadian website called Ginch Gonch (Canadian slang for underwear) sold 1.8 million pairs last year at about $30 each, according to the company’s owner.
Much of this trend has been initiated by women, apparently. Underwear, the experts say, is one of the few items of menswear that women buy more of (for men) than men do. But when the underwear the women buy is replaced by the men they buy it for, it will likely be with similar styles - which will mean continued strong sales for Steven Lien and his colleagues.
This is part of a larger trend: the peacocking of the American man.
As a boy, I was taught (not directly, but by my father’s example and by stereotypes on TV) that boys weren’t supposed to care about clothes. That was the mythology we were exposed to, though the reality was very different. There were plenty of men and boys out there fussing over their wardrobes.
My friend Paul, the toughest kid in our grammar school, was a great dresser (and still is). I did my best to dress well, but with a budget of literally zero to buy new clothes, I had to depend upon the accidental kindness of others - wealthier boys whose outgrown clothes made their way through the Catholic charities to my family.
Leave It to Beaver, a staple sit-com of my generation, epitomized the American attitude toward men’s (and boy’s) clothing. Mr. Cleaver and his sons appeared to be completely clueless about style, happily soiling their clothes while doing manly things with machinery (tinkering with the carburetor, fixing the lawn mower, etc.). And yet, they were always impeccably dressed in what we used to call "collegiate" fashion.
Collegiate fashion was easy to adhere to. Chinos, madras shirts, penny loafers - the choices were limited. Formal attire was equally restricted: The best suit was conventionally cut, with a single-breasted wool jacket and pants in blue or grey. Dress shirts were white. Socks matched your shoes. Only ties had color in them - conservative bars of angled stripes.
Had I not been a hand-me-down kid, I could have easily outfitted myself with a complete wardrobe in an hour’s time at Hunter’s, the local clothing store for men. It was simple. The idea was to wear clothes that made you look good without making you look like you wanted to look good.
Given the very conservative approach we took toward dressing then, it should come as no surprise that there was only one choice when it came to underwear: tighty-whities - and always Fruit of the Loom. (Was there even another brand?)
But that’s all changed gradually over the years. In the past decade especially, a "new" kind of man has been blossoming. This is plainly evident if you know almost any men younger than 40. Say the word "product" to them and they will think "hair." The same word said to a man of my generation evokes some sort of manufacturing image.
The new man has been dubbed a "metrosexual." He is said to be comfortable with his masculinity, much more so than his macho father, and much more comfortable with social changes that have taken place in recent years (such as the fact that women are often the primary breadwinners and that men are expected to do their fair share of the diaper changing).
Dealing with your baby’s diarrhea is the downside of metrosexuality. Being able to openly concern yourself with your appearance is - we are given to believe - the compensation. Young men are completely knowledgeable about consumer goods that used to be considered "feminine." I’m talking not only about designer clothing, but also about skin treatments, highlighting, liposuction, body washes, hair removal, tanning lotions … and fancy underwear.
What’s the reason for this?
For better or worse, the baby boomers decided that it was sexist for men and women to play different social roles or even to look different. The objective seemed to be a sort of hybrid gender, with sexuality eliminated as much as possible.
That’s the best spin I can put on it.
And it has been an interesting ride with some positive outcomes. It’s easier and more socially acceptable for a man to be gay, effeminate, or merely foppish … and that’s a good thing. It’s also permissible for women to bear arms and have their heads blown off. I suppose that’s a good thing too - though it’s still not acceptable for women to act like macho men.
Yes, men are becoming less manly in that old-fashioned, Rhett Butler kind of way that men of my generation aspired to. Today, it’s okay to like shopping for clothes. It’s even okay to spend time looking at yourself in the mirror. According to a 2005 Datamonitor survey ("Evolution of Global Consumer Trends"), 73 percent of European and American men rank standing in front of the mirror as important or very important (as compared to 72 percent of women surveyed).
With more men feeling that it’s acceptable to buy and use products formerly used only by women, the personal care market has room to grow. Worldwide sales of men’s grooming products rose from $26.3 billion in 2005 to $29.7 billion in 2006, as reported in Courant magazine. And the Datamonitor survey predicts that the European and U.S. male personal care market will reach $37.6 billion in 2008.
The change in male buying habits - especially among younger men - doesn’t stop with personal care products. The men’s clothing industry, too, is seeing an upsurge. For example, an NPD Group Inc. study done in 2005 found that there was a five percent increase in men’s clothing sales that year (to $53 billion). The increase was attributed to a 53 percent jump in the sales of suits, separate suit coats and trousers, and sport coats. And those sales were largely to men between the ages of 18 and 24.
Men are also venturing into shops more often to buy for the women in their lives. Donna Reamy, associate chair of Virginia Commonwealth University’s fashion department, notes "Where it was a woman’s role to shop, it’s just not anymore." Plus, says Reamy, who compiles data on men’s shopping habits, the number of department stores catering to men are at an all-time high.
Here are some other notable statistics:
- The male grooming product market worldwide grew an average of 5.7 percent each year between 1997 and 2005. Men’s bath and shower products and men’s skin-care products led the way with 11.1 percent and 10.3 percent growth respectively (according to EuroMonitor International Research).
- The spa industry has seen a growing market for male-only services (according to a 2006 Associated Skin Care Professionals survey).
- 31 percent of American spa goers are men (according to 2006 International Spa Association Research).
When you think of all the possibilities - not just in clothing and cosmetics but in health aids and information products and plastic surgery - you can see that the profit potential of this trend is enormous. And who will foresee the next ripple? It won’t be me, that’s for sure. If I wanted to get into it, I’d partner up with someone younger. Someone who uses face cleansers and wears colorful underwear. I’m not talking about a woman. I’m talking about the new kind of man.
[Ed. Note: This fall, Michael Masterson and a group of the world's leading Internet marketing experts will be revealing proven techniques for shooting your online sales through the roof, creating over a dozen sources of new revenue, and tripling or even quadrupling your profits within the next 9 to 12 months. Sign up now for ETR's fast-approaching 2007 Info-Marketing Bootcamp - Making a Fast Fortune on the "Other Side" of the Internet.]
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Productivity Tip: 2 Free Online Calendars
By Will Newman
If you do not have a computer-based calendar program (like Outlook, Entourage, or iCal) to manage your time, Google and Yahoo have free full-feature online calendars to fill that void. In fact, their features rival - and in some cases surpass - the more traditional computer-based programs.
Both calendars are easy to use, and both allow you to share your schedule with others. Why would you want to share with others? Planning family events, coordinating work schedules, and organizing meetings and phone calls with clients are three good reasons. And both allow you to limit who has access to your shared calendars. (Google has more options in this regard.)
The Google and Yahoo calendars fully support the following browsers (which must have JavaScript and cookies enabled):
- Microsoft IE 6.0 (Windows)
- Firefox (Windows Mac Linux)
- Safari (Mac)
Both have too many features to describe here. However, they are worth taking a look at, even if you already use a computer-based calendar program.
You can find Google’s calendar at google.com/. Click on "More" in the top link bar, then click "Calendar" on the drop-down menu.
You can find Yahoo’s calendar at calendar.yahoo.com/. (NOTE: No "www")
[Ed. Note: Will Newman is the editor of AWAI's The Golden Thread online newsletter - a free weekly alert loaded with writing and marketing secrets, tips, and insights.]
Prevent Cancer with Sunshine
By Al Sears, MD
If you live in the Sunshine State, as I do, you know that sunlight gets a bad rap. Dermatologists and the sunscreen industry tell you to avoid sunlight at all costs, implying that even a little exposure will cause skin cancer.
In reality, not only is a little sunlight good for you, it can dramatically reduce your risk of cancer.
Two new studies revealed that, in moderate amounts, sunlight may reduce the risk of breast cancer by as much as 50 percent. Its effect on the incidence of colorectal cancer is even more dramatic, lowering the risk by 65 percent.
How is this possible?
Sunlight boosts levels of vitamin D in your blood. When its ultraviolet rays hit your skin, your body responds by spontaneously producing this essential nutrient. That’s why vitamin D is sometimes called the "sunshine" vitamin.
Researchers at the University of San Diego noted that the cancer-reduction rates from vitamin D produced by sunlight vastly outperformed even the most popular cancer drugs, such as Herceptin. Best of all, you only need 10 to 20 minutes of sunlight a day to get the cancer protection.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, a practicing physician, author, and expert on longevity, fitness, and heart health, is the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure.] Learn more about the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition, and get motivational guidance to help you achieve your health goals in ETR’s natural health e-letter. Sign up here.]
It’s Good to Know: The Universe on the Back of Your Hand
You probably know that your skin is covered with billions of tiny microbes. Recent research indicates that the skin is a complex ecosystem, and that these germs (like people) are sensitive to changes in their environment.
Researchers from the New York University School of Medicine found that no two people have the same combination of germs on their skin, and that the population make-up of your "skin flora" changes over time in response to such things as changing your soap or detergent or wearing clothing made of a different material.
(Source: National Geographic)
Confidential Report: Disillusioned Trader Opens "Money-Floodgates" to YOU…
Rob Banks Legally… With an Inside Job!
Are You Ready for a "Smash and Grab" on the World’s "Hidden" Money-Mountain?
Great! The getaway car’s leaving…
Word to the Wise: Priapic
"Priapic" (pry-AP-ik) - from Priapos, the Greek god who personified male reproductive power - means overly concerned with masculinity and male sexuality.
Example (as used by Luc Sante in a New York Times review of On the Road: The Original Scroll by Jack Kerouac): "[Neal] Cassady, with his need to move, his vast ya-hooing enthusiasm, and his insatiable priapic drive, could have stepped out of Western legend."
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007