Nobody Teaches THIS to Men—and they Should | Manscaped

Nobody warns you about the first time…

One morning you wake up, look in the mirror, and your face has started doing something on its own. You have hair! It starts by looking like peach fuzz or dirt above your lip. But it’s not a problem and you’re proud it’s there. 

And usually without anyone showing you what to do or handing you a manual, you pick up a razor.

Just like that—and hopefully without nicks cut or other injuries— you're in the club. This is an exceptionally well designed electric razor without sharp cutting bits. Relax, you’re safe. 

What they don't tell you about being in the club: 
This four inches of real estate on each side of your face is sacred ground. 

Okay, maybe you’re outgoing and more people touch this area of your face than you realize. But that doesn’t mean this area is any less important. And if things go well in your life, a special person gets clearance to go there whenever you want.

So the thing you press against that ground matters. The ritual matters. You're not just removing hair. You're deciding, every single morning, what kind of man shows up today.

Some of us grow it out. We do this because we can. Others like it smooth like butter. Whatever the case. This is the one moment of the day that belongs to you. Men are simple. We've been told this is an insult. It's not. Simple means we know what we want. We want the game to be on. 

The face, chest, pits and below the belt are the places a man actually has to manage. You can cover everything else with a hoodie. Bad day? Nobody sees it. Bad decisions? Hoodie covers the mustard on your shirt. But the face? The face is always on camera. It’s the money maker, bro. 

Let’s get it. 

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This episode is brought to you by Magic Mind.

I talk to some of the sharpest founders and operators in the world on this show. And one thing I hear constantly is that the biggest challenge isn't having good ideas. It's having the mental stamina to execute them at a high level, day after day. That's exactly what Magic Mind is built for. 

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All designed to give you sharper focus, sustained energy, and a calmer stress response throughout your day. No jitters. No crash. Just steady, clean mental performance. I drink it in the morning before I sit down to work and lately about an hour before a tennis match. Two ounces, one shot, and I'm locked in.

If you want to feel that for yourself, go to magicmind.com and subscribe. Right now, new subscribers get 50% off their first order. That's magicmind.com. 

Check it out.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Nobody warns you about your first time. One morning you wake up, you look in the mirror, and your face has started doing something on its own. You have hair. It starts by looking like peach fuzz or maybe some dirt above your lip. But it's not a problem, and you're kind of proud it's there. And usually without anyone showing you what to do or handing you some kind of manual, you pick up a razor. And just like that, hopefully without nicks, cuts, or other injuries, you're in the club. This is an exceptionally well designed electric grazer without sharp cutting bits, so relax. I'm safe. What they don't tell you about being in the club is this four inches of real estate on each side of your face is kind of like sacred ground. Alright, maybe you're outgoing, you know, and more people touch this area of your face than you realize. But that doesn't mean that this area isn't any less important. And if things go well in your life, uh maybe a special person gets to have clearance to go there anytime they want. So the thing you press against that ground matters. The ritual matters. You're not just removing hair. You're deciding every single morning what kind of man shows up today. And some of us grow it out. Others like it's smooth like butter. We do this because we can. We grow it out because we can, we cut it because we can, we shave because we can. Whatever the case. This is the one moment of the day that belongs to you. And men are simple. Yeah, we've been told this is some sort of insult, but it's not. Simple means that we know what we want. We want the game to be on. The face, chest, pits, and below the belt are places a man can actually manage. You can cover everything else with a hoodie. Having a bad day? No one really sees it. Make a bad decision, spill a little mustard on that shirt, again that hoodie covers it right up. But the face, the face is always on. It's the moneymaker, bro. Let's get it.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Hair has this very distinctive quality that the moment it leaves your body, it becomes something that you despise. So, how do they feel? That's the question that we asked ourselves. And that's when we flip the script to the hair feeling being left out, being left behind and not loved anymore. And what kind of emotion does it have with its previous owner?

SPEAKER_01 2:38

This episode is brought to you by Magic Mind. I talked to some of the sharpest founders and operators in the world on this show. And one thing I hear constantly is that the biggest challenge isn't having good ideas. It's having the mental stamina to execute them at a high level day after day. That's exactly what Magic Mind is built for. It's a two-ounce daily shot with 12 clinically backed ingredients, things like lion's made, cognisin, which support memory, mental clarity, neuroplasticity for sharper cognitive performance. Ceremonial grade matcha, rhodiola, cordyceps, and vitamin B complex deliver sustained energy for mental stamina without jitters or crashes. L-theanine, ashwagandha, turmeric, plus vitamin C and D promote calm, balance your stress response, and support brain health. All designed to give you sharper focus, sustained energy, and a calmer stress response. I drink it in the morning before I sit down to work, and lately I've been having it about an hour before a tennis match. Two ounces, one shot, I'm locked in. If you want to feel that for yourself, go to magicmind.com and subscribe. Right now, new subscribers get 50% off their first order. That's magicmind.com. Check it out.

SPEAKER_02 3:49

I'm Marcelo Cortes, Chief Marketing Officer at Manscaped. My background is a little bit non-uh traditional. I started in advertising back in Brazil where there is a very vibrant and competitive industry. And then I had a few years of political marketing before I actually landed in the US and started um running brands like Manscaped. What I think is unique about a brand like Manscaped is this combination of the sense of humor and the high quality, right? It ended up being the most powerful combination that I've seen and I experienced in a brand voice. And I don't know if I could claim that it was completely by design, because part of it might have been by necessity. We had this very difficult task in the beginning of talking to consumers about their hygiene down there, right? Which is not an easy task. So humor then becomes the most effective, the most powerful way to establish that communication, to break those barriers, to kind of get people comfortable talking about. But that needed to be compensated with an obsessive uh delivery on quality on every other touch point, like the packaging, the product design, the product bill, um, the website. So everything had to scream high quality uh to balance the authenticity and uh and just the freedom of a very humorous and loose voice that we needed to have to engage in those conversations.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

So, you know, um there are a lot of definitions of what a brand is. I'd love to hear what your definition of what a brand is, and then I'd like to hear what the manscaped brand is. And let me give you a little context. A brand is not your logo, yeah. A brand is not the packaging. Uh a brand is a shorthand for what you stand for. It's what people talk about when they're when you're not in the room. Um it is a brand is distinct. And if a brand is not distinct, you then we may argue, you may not have a brand at all. You may just have a product or some sort of commodity. Right? I mean, tennis shoes are a commodity brand. And the only reason anyone knows the Nike or Adidas or or Puma or etc. name is because they've established a brand around it. Same goes for refrigerators or automobiles, you know, so brands are distinct. And when brands are distinct, then you have a certain advantage. Uh or rather, when you have a brand, you have an advantage because people are willing to pay a premium, usually. Yeah. Uh a good example is like when I go to Costco and there's a you know, a bottle of the blue Advil that's like$20, and then the brown ibuprofen, that's$6. It's like the exact same medication. Yeah. The brand name costs more. It's because, you know, maybe there's trust or there's some sort of establishment of relationship. So uh with that said, uh, give me your definition of what brand is. Yeah. And let's talk about Manscaped.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Yeah. Uh when talking about brands, I actually have uh I'm I'm very passionate about brands and even the trajectory of its its its its meaning in society, right? Um, brands started as a way to identify a product, like a provenance, right? So it was sort of uh a seal-off guarantee. Hey, I like this, I want to buy the same one again. This is the brand that I go to identify that this is the product that I like. So it was sort of a promise of quality, but it has evolved quite a lot. Um, more recently, you could say that a brand became like a promise, a promise of not only that product functionality, but more than that, like a promise of a lifestyle, a promise of like who you are. So, right now, what I think about what brand is in today's society is part of our identity, actually. So we um will like it or not, we use brands to identify to other people who we are, um to tell a story about ourselves too. So that gives brands and companies that have brands, like we do at Manscaped, uh, a very, let's say, heavy responsibility on representing, you know, who your audience is, who your people are, and in a way that they feel represented, they feel whatever the sentiment that they want to feel when they carry your brand. And I know that different brands have, you know, those different qualities. Some brands make you feel accomplished, some make you feel creative, some make you feel confident and groomed and you know, and and and attractive. Uh, that's where we stand uh as a company like in a in a brand manscaped.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

So, how would you then define the manscaped brand? What is it, what is it about?

SPEAKER_02 8:43

So, manscaped brand, I think first and foremost is about attraction. It's about being attractive, it's about feeling attractive. And that works in different layers. It's not just being attractive because you smell good or look good because you're groomed, but it's much more than that. And I think that's where our sense of humor also plays an important part because um humor has proven to be uh a trait of attractive people. It's a trait that helps you be attractive. So it's a combination of the functional uh delivery that we do through our products, uh, but more than anything to what the brand means and represents, to the quality and design of the products, to the sense of humor that we bring to the conversation and to men as they feel confident and to engage in their day-to-day relationships. Um I like that bit about humor.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

And and I I agree that you know attractive people uh uh use humor, uh, but there's science behind the idea that humor actually derives from intelligence. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

But I think it goes way beyond that because part of being maybe the most important part of being attractive is being perceived as someone who's smart, who's intelligent, and having a sense of humor is a big part of that. It's a big it's it's probably the most effective and fastest way to show quick thinking, to show um empathy, to show that you can relate uh with with humans at a at a at a at a different layer, different level.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

And so where would you categorize the manscaped brand in the you know um category or taxonomy of brands? So, you know, are we got luxury brands, we've got technology brands, we've got, you know, uh value-based brands. Where does it lay in the landscape?

SPEAKER_02 10:37

So in the landscape of products and brands, um, we play closer to that premium space. But we we like to say that we are premium yet attainable, right? We are not a luxury brand that has uh unattainable prices or are just for a lucky few, uh, but we are a really good Huygens uh brand that wants to cater men's from all walks of life. And one thing that we say at Manscape that I think is really interesting is that we want to be a force towards men moving men forward, right? So, but it doesn't matter where they are in their path, in their journey uh on masculinity. So some men are really like they have the groomy routine pretty well established and they have lots of products, they know a lot about how to take better care of themselves. Some are just beginning, some they just like basically use their hands and soap. Um, and we we want to play a part for both of those men. Like for men who have a routine, we have amazing products that will make your routine even better. And for men who are just starting, we have amazing products that will help you uh along the way to take better care of yourself. So we are a brand with a significantly wide reach uh within men, um, not only from a demographic standpoint, but also from even like what they like. It's interesting that when I joined Manscape, one of the things that caught my attention was that at the same time that we were sponsoring uh um UFC, uh we had uh strong partnerships with the drag queen community. So those communities are not the obvious one that comes uh to mind when brands try to put themselves in a box. But for us, it made and still makes total sense.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Can you talk a little bit about psychographics? I mean, everyone knows about demographics. Um, it's fairly irrelevant these days in terms of marketing. You're the CMO, I'm sure you know these things. Um Do you know what I mean by psychographics?

SPEAKER_02 12:42

Yeah, what do what do you mean specific?

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Because there it's such a such a white term that's yeah. So I would say, like in simple terms, who is the manscaped customer? You know, who are they? Do you have a muse uh that you you have in mind?

SPEAKER_02 12:57

Yeah, yeah. Um, there's a lot of scientific ways, and we did our uh our study. But if I had to give you one quick definition of who are the manscaped men, is men who give a shit about how they look. That's how we define it. Because we have done a lot of studies, we did a lot of consumer segmentation, and we learned because you know, those are our people, and we have groups that we that that we interact and talk frequently, but in the end, uh it boils down to men who care about how they look, how they present themselves. And that's not just you know for a partner or for a romantic relationship, but how they present themselves at work, at school, within their families. It's men who give a shit. It's men who are not like, hey, I don't care and I don't want to think about it. Like that's that's how that's our core demographic. So again, it's a pretty, it's a pretty targeted, but at the same time, wide range of people that it keeps growing because I think the more that society evolves, more men uh are taking better care of themselves as well. Um, and a lot of it is actually aspirational as well. I mean, there is uh a lot of men who we are talking about those routines and taking better care of themselves for the first time, and we are inviting them um to the game so they can be back or they can go to their best game. So there's a lot of uh we we cater to a lot of young consumers that are starting to understand how they need to present themselves, who need that boost of confidence. And we try to be like that cool older brother who, you know, we've been around, we know a little bit of how to make you look good, feel good, feel confident without being a big burden in your life. And that's that's how we get to you know attract a lot of new consumers and I also you know help them in their in their journeys. So, you know, the name Manscaped, it sort of begs the question, what about women? So the name of the company, the name of the brand is Manscaped. And that always brings the question, what about women? What about women's caped? Uh, won't you guys you know cater for women as well? And as much as we have a lot of women who love and appreciate some of our products, uh, it would not be a true dedicated to man endeavor if we just, you know, had a part of the brand be Women'sCaped and cater to women. I mean, if you need to make your choices, and of course, by making your choices, you do leave uh some audiences behind, but that's where you show a true commitment uh to who you're serving. You know, to have a strategy, you have to learn to say no and to say no to what you are not serving, um, so you can dedicate and really understand who your customer is. And if you think about it, like the whole inception of Manscaped, the fact that we started at one of the parts of the male anatomy that makes the most, you know, like it is different. It is something very distinctive to man, um, is a true show of commitment to man. And with that, of course, there's this huge market of you know, women that we have to say no to. But it's it's as important as making the decisions on who you're gonna cater for, is who you're not catering for. Because as we all know, if you try to be a brand for everyone, you're actually a brand for no one. And by the way, we are indirectly a brand for women as well. Uh, because first, if you are if you're making your men look better, I mean, there is the end result that might be enjoyed by by a lot of women. And not only that, we do have a lot of women who end up stealing uh their husbands and boyfriends and partners' products to use as well. So there's nothing against women using our product, but we design and we fully dedicate our learnings to serve men.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

So you've got um your first Super Bowl spot coming up. Uh, break it down for us. Talk to me about the the creative process and how you kind of started out here, and then how you got to here, and then walk me through it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:22

So we're getting to our Super Bowl spot, and it's a big moment for us, and we need a very precise briefing, and we need to know exactly what we want to communicate. Uh, we are in a moment of our brand that we have a big message to show the world, which is a brand that had its roots in the groin, now it's here for all your body needs. So we called it from ball to all. That's the briefing. It was the shortest briefing that I've ever gave a creative team. It basically had the word ball, and we crossed the B. So all is all that remains. So that's the message, and that's what we need to deliver at the Super Bowl spot. Now, with that, it gives a lot of range for being creative because when you have a very straightforward message and a simple message to deliver, you can work on how to make it very impactful. And to do that, we use this very powerful combination of feelings, of emotions, right? Uh, we brought a little bit of grossness with love, with like, so you don't know if you are being uh grossed out but what you see, or if you're gonna fall in love, or hopefully a little bit of both. Um, and that juxtaposition is something that we have very powerful in our Super Bowl spot.

SPEAKER_01 18:45

Once I danced upon your chest, covered your packs, I did my best. I was your scruff, your loyal friend, sworn to protect your dimple chin.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

But you slapped me in the back. When you sliced me from the patch, you both your crack. Blood with musket muscles, me from between your crack between your thighs, and blood of your dress.

SPEAKER_02 19:52

So how do they feel? That's the question that we asked ourselves. And that's when we flip the script to the hair feeling being left out, being left behind and not loved anymore. And what kind of emotion does it have with its previous owner, right? So that's the whole message that we have, that's the whole narrative that we have on the spot. And what it has that brings that is so powerful. One is a perfect vessel to talk about all the stools that we have to remove hair from different parts of your body, uh, but also uh in a very humorous and impactful way to show the love that your hair might have for you even when it's leaving and you're no longer gonna see it again.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

I love that. Um, how did you arrive at doing a Super Bowl spot? This is your first one. Uh that, you know, um, you don't have to say how much it was, uh, but give me like give us an idea of the budget range for you know the creative of a super Super Bowl spot. Is it a six-figure, seven-figure, eight-figure conversation?

SPEAKER_02 20:59

Yeah. The way we arrived at the Super Bowl as a strategy is Super Bowl is a perfect vessel when you have a very simple message that you want to fast track, right? It is a booster, it's a booster of awareness. And if you have a new message, like we have in our case, showing the world that now we are way beyond what you know Manscape 4, which is the coin, um, this is a perfect place to fast track all that awareness and just simple send that simple message across. Um, but it's not an easy decision because Super Bowl is a big investment, right? It is, we all know the spots vary from seven to ten million dollars. Uh production is not cheap as well. Production usually stays between one to four or five million dollars. So it is a big commitment. And for a brand like ours, it is a big deal. It's not something that we know, we just make a decision. Hey, let's do a Super Bowl spot, why not? Right. So there's a lot of strategy behind it. There's a lot of like, there's a lot of Pre and post Super Bowl activations to make sure that this is a very successful endeavor for us.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

Talking about some of those activations, what result are you hoping for?

SPEAKER_02 22:10

So when it's all said and done, the result that we expect, first and foremost, is like to be the most talked-about Super Bowl spot because that gives a lot of visibility and that gets our message across. And not only that, but the installation of a new new characters and a new framework for Manscaped as a brand. Like it's a new, it's a new set of um creative that we inaugurate with the Super Bowl spot that uh I believe will be with us for the foreseeable future. So um the the Super Bowl campaign lives way before and after Super Bowl, and we have a lot of different activations. One of them that I can tell here that I like a lot is you know, those monster hairballs, they come from us, they come from our hair. And just like dogs end up looking like their owners, they end up looking like our hair. Uh, they end up looking like ourselves uh a little bit too. And in that vein, we did a partnership with comedian Stavros, and we're gonna auction his monster hairball. And you tell me if it looks like him or if he looks like his hairball uh a bit more.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

I mean, we were just sitting back, you know, chopping it up, reminiscing about the good old days and all that, you know, tracking my roots where I came from and where I'm going. But like I say, man, I say, man, always said it.