Backchannelmedia

Backchannelmedia

NEW YORK, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ - PHCP Incorporated, Professional Hair Care Products, has announced a giant step in the evolution of mankind - the launch of its first-ever premium men's grooming line, MENSGROOM.

And if his thinning hair, flaky scalp and wrinkles are getting to you, speak up - 'cause ladies, men are listening when it comes to personal grooming - according to the inaugural 'Behind The Washroom Door' Report. The on-line poll, commissioned by MENSGROOM in early October (conducted by Maritz Research), asked 1,000 Americans aged 25 to 49 about their attitudes on grooming-related issues.

The results proved that the timing of the MENSGROOM launch could not be better - according to the male Americans surveyed, a whopping 91 per cent do their own shopping for personal products, including clothes, accessories and grooming products. And now they need to look no further for their grooming needs than MENSGROOM; the product line, which boasts 16 SKUs in the categories of hair, face and body, promises simple products for simple creatures. With pure and natural ingredients (good, manly stuff like Mannetake Mushroom and Birch SAP) and products that actually do what they say they do, men will finally have a go-to brand that truly understands what they want.

"I've lived and breathed grooming products all my life, and I can tell you that MENSGROOM is the answer to an age-old dilemma faced by most men: they want to look and feel good, but they don't want to try that hard to get there," says Gerd Schwarzkopf, founder and president, PHCP Incorporated. "With a broad assortment of products within the collection, and simple directions communicated through cartoons and witty one-liners, guys can now address all their grooming needs with a one-stop shop."

The genius in MENSGROOM is in its simplicity - and not 'dumbed-down' simplicity, but more in its uncomplicated and unpretentious, research-based approach. Cherry Robinson, marketing director, PHCP Incorporated elaborates: "For years, our research told us that guys were starting to realize the importance of good grooming and to shop more for themselves, and yet we didn't see that reflected in sales of men's grooming products to the degree we expected. We realized pretty quickly that there was a significant disconnect between what men were looking for, and what they found on the shelves." She adds, "MENSGROOM is that moment of discovery for guys - that sigh of relief that finally, someone gets it."

Whether it is thinning hair (there's Firmly Rooted shampoo for that), those pesky little crow's feet (there's Eye Feel Good cream for that), or sore muscles (there's Sore No More cooling gel for that), MENSGROOM was created with guys in mind - and not necessarily a 'I-need-a-weekly-manicure' guy, but just the 'Average Joe.' And who better to represent this male, than the most recognizable and unmistakable guy of all time: Washroom Guy. You've seen him on washroom doors around the world, and now he lives on MENSGROOM's eye-catching packaging.

"Washroom Guy is the quintessential guy's guy - he's our lifestyle and grooming guru, an advisor to all men, and the guy you go to who can break it down," says Robinson. "We want men to associate MENSGROOM with this universal icon, because they will only need to look for Washroom Guy to know they will always get exactly what they need."

SO WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THAT WASHROOM DOOR ANYWAY?

Whether its female influence or the George Clooney factor, men's attitudes towards grooming are changing - and for the better.

The signs of hope may be as close as the nearest water cooler (or men's room). Forget sports speak, three out of ten (30%) men talk to their buddies about wrinkles, thinning hair, dry skin and dry scalp among other grooming-related issues. Interestingly, men aged 35 to 44 (32%) are the most verbal on the subject, as are married men (46%) and those with a family income of over $75,000 net (38%).

However, men may still need a push in the right direction, or at least some education on male-specific product lines, considering that 32 per cent of American males admit that they have used women's grooming products in the past - and it is especially likely if they are married (36%).

GROOMING NOT JUST SKIN DEEP

The adage, it's better to look good than feel good may only go so far. Grooming certainly helps with aesthetics, but perhaps, more importantly, it inspires confidence. The majority of all respondents (87%) said that being well-groomed makes them feel more confident when meeting new people, both personally and professionally - with the effects being more pronounced in women (94%) than men (80%).

Grooming also makes for great first impressions. All respondents were asked, When meeting someone for the first time, how important is their personal grooming to you, and the overwhelming majority of Americans (94%) rated grooming as important. Interestingly, men (90%) are almost as judgmental as women (97%) when it comes to grooming.

However, today's man is proving more and more that they have a right to be - as they are more willing to put down the club and pick up a comb. When male respondents were asked, If you knew that an increasing number of women cared that men make greater efforts in grooming, would you seriously consider making an effort, 73 per cent said they would - and those living with a partner (80%) were most eager to please.

Good thing, because today's women have higher expectations when it comes to men's appearance. In fact, more than half of female Americans surveyed (54%) felt that men should spend as much time and money on grooming as they do.

ALWAYS ROOM TO GROOM

Just because you are locked in a relationship does not mean you can let your grooming guard down. Seventy-six per cent (76%) of Americans are impressed when their partner pays special attention to grooming. And as one might expect, a higher percentage of women (84%) than men (68%) appreciate their partner's efforts.

Furthermore, motivation for grooming comes in a variety of forms. Eight out of ten (81%) respondents claim they would give grooming greater consideration if they knew it could possibly slow down the aging process, and make them appear more youthful and appealing to the opposite sex. Guys especially are sitting up, putting down the remote and taking notice: 72 per cent admitted they would give grooming greater consideration in the interest of physical 'preservation.'

ADDITIONAL TIDBITS FOR THE WATER COOLER:

- While grooming is important to 77 per cent of Americans, it is people

aged 35 to 44 (78%), as well as married couples (81%) who deem it

most important.

- Surprisingly, a very high percentage of married men are shopping for

their own personal products - 91 per cent to be exact. When it comes

to male shoppers, those aged 45 to 49 (95%) lead the charge.

- Not so surprisingly, women are far more comfortable talking about

their grooming issues with their girlfriends (77%), than men are with

their buddies (30%).

- When presented with a list of male celebrities, Americans choose

George Clooney (31.5%) as the best-groomed, followed by Sean Connery

(20%) and then Brad Pitt (10%).

- And it seems the age-old response that every woman has heard, I just

can't tell if another guy is good-looking, holds true: 28 per cent of

men evaded the question by choosing "Don't know."

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Methodology

Maritz Research conducted an on-line survey among a representative sample

of American adults aged 25 to 49 years of age. The survey was conducted

between October 2nd and October 5th, 2006.

The national sample produces results that can be considered accurate for

the population of interest as a whole to within +/-3.1% 19 times out of

20.

Some questions were asked of either males (480) or females (520) only.

The results among females can be considered accurate to within +/-4.3% 19

times out of 20. The results among males can be considered accurate to

within +/-4.47% 19 times out of 20.

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About PHCP Incorporated

From crew cuts to mullets, beehives to bobs, hair styles are constantly changing and PHCP Incorporated, Professional Hair Care Products has been there every snip of the way. They excel in coming up with brilliant and innovative hair-brained ideas for their clients. Whether it's a new twist on an existing product or a new product category altogether, some of the most creative and business-savvy minds in the industry call PHCP their home.

For PHCP founder and owner, Gerd Schwarzkopf, the hair care products industry is part of his DNA. In 1903 his grandfather, Hans Schwarzkopf, invented a powder to clean hair that he called "shampoon." His product sold like wild fire and the Schwarzkopf company was born. Upon graduation from high school, Gerd began his career with the company's Canadian operation. In 1965, Gerd took over the company. As the existing organization continued to grow, he formed another company that successfully developed, manufactured and marketed licensed fragrance brands for a global marketplace.

In 2000, Gerd sold his license for Schwarzkopf products back to the parent company, Henkel GmbH. Today, he continues to manufacture some of the world's leading consumer products under the name PHCP Incorporated, Professional Hair Care Products.

Under Gerd's guidance, PHCP goes above the industry norm to provide their clients with solutions that extend well beyond manufacturing to include a full suite of product, formulating, sales and marketing services. This year, PHCP will launch MENSGROOM - simple products for simple creatures: men.

To view and purchase MENSGROOM products: http://www.mens-groom.com.

SOURCE MENSGROOM