Where the boys are: Where marketers can find the male demographic

Women may hold the pursestrings when it comes to day to day purchases, but more and more men are taking over two shopping areas: tech gadgets and automobiles. The question many marketers have is where these men can be found and how they can be engaged. A recent Scarborough Sports Marketing study sheds light on where some of these boys are - and what they are doing online.

by Kristina Knight

Researchers for the report found that a growing base of men between the ages of 18 and 24 are Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) enthusiasts. MMA combines boxing and martial arts; these men are both watching and participating in MMA events. What makes these men attractive to marketers?

Just over one-quarter have a household of three or more people and are likely to have household income of at least $75,000 per year. Many own two homes, invest in the stock market and are likely to invest online. They are also techy. They own gadgets, they purchase gadgets and a select few are the early adopters that brands need.

"From technology to automotive and household appliances to corporate delivery services, the MMA fan clearly represents a solid audience for a great diversity of marketers," said Howard Goldberg, senior vice president, Scarborough Sports Marketing. "Those who begin leveraging this league's fan base now will have unique opportunities to begin establishing brand loyalty within their ranks."

So, what products are these consumers researching? Computers, digital cameras and DVD players. But even more interesting is that this demographic are interesting in purchasing satellite radio/subscriptions, video gaming systems and smartphone devices such as BlackBerries or iPhones. They are also more than twice as likely to purchase in new car in the next year; they are looking at luxury vehicles as well as SUVs.

Tags: gadgets, male demographic, men 18-24, Scarborough Sports Marketing, tech advertising, tech purchases, technology advertising