Constantly connected and constantly changing as they move towards fatherhood, pre-family men prove that the young male audience cannot be treated as one homogenous group. A new study from Microsoft Advertising reveals three distinct life-stages as young men move between leaving education and starting a family. Yet throughout these changes, the young male audience depends on technology to help juggle hedonism and responsibility.
While still living with parents, pre-family men are focused on fun and entertainment, devoted to their game consoles (they would sooner give up TV or mobiles) and with a keen interest in sport. Once they move out of the family home to live alone or with others, men aged 21-35 shift their focus towards money matters and the crucial business of finding love; when living with a partner, they take a growing interest in DIY and cookery and consider big-ticket purchases.
Whatever their priorities at different points, the young male audience is always busy – and want to be busier: 89% of pre-family men are online, at all times of day, using a range of platforms from PCs to mobile phones and gaming consoles. Advertisers targeting these multi-screen consumers can benefit from the Media Multiplier effect that significantly increases engagement and awareness.
Not only do men aged 21-35 change significantly during the pre-family stage; they do so at different rates in different countries. In Spain, 80% of pre-family men aged 21-23 live with their parents, compared to only 20% in Sweden. Local understanding is crucial to planning campaigns for this key group.
Microsoft Advertising offers a unique platform for targeting and engaging the pre-family, young male audience effectively through gaming (via Xbox Live), mobile phones, social media (such as Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail) and key MSN channels. Online behavioural targeting can refine campaign targeting to fit the different life stages of pre-family men.
