介绍:
Xiaohua: In recent years, we see more and more TV shows, films and commercials featuring good looking guys and targeting female consumers. It is being dubbed in Chinese “Nan Se Xiao Fei”, which literally means consumption of the male beauty.
“男色消费”是近年来一石激起千层浪的生猛时尚。无论是电视，电影还是广告代言，到处都存在着以男色吸引女性消费者的行为。So do you think that it is becoming more common? And more importantly, do you think there is a problem with that?
Heyang: I don’t really see a problem with that. I think it is certainly a phenomenon that we see more and more. And maybe in ten years’ time, we won’t be talking about it at all, because it’s something just like air exists that you accept. I suppose if you are talking about consumption on male beauty, then were talking about women spending. So providing products that catch the female eye and subsequently you can increase your sales revenue. Why not? Girls are spending.
Mark: Interesting. I agree. You know, there is the old scene, the old advertising adage that sex sales, and this seems to be what they are doing there. It’s just that it hasn’t been done before with men being the sort of objectified person in the advertising. I want to take it to a not extreme, but I want to look it from another point of view, which is for example if you are watching some Hollywood movies or something, I don’t know what it might be, some crime thriller or with some CD low-life characters, frequenting strip clubs for example. I’m glad we’re talking about this with you two, because when the actor walks into the room in the bar, he’s gonna meet his buddy, plan a crime or something. And you see scantily clad women dancing on the stage like that, you know. I kind of think what must women think about that? What do they think about it? Because if that was men, if roles were reversed, I wouldn’t like that. I wouldn’t like to see men out there in their pants dancing. I think it was kind of demeaning. I’ve often wondered what women must think of that kind of scene in a movie. Do you just accept it, or do you not think about it? And I’m looking forward to hearing both you answer the question.
Xiaohua: I have to say unfortunately I was not as uncomfortable as maybe I should be, merely because of the fact that it is so prevalent that we see it so often that sometimes you see something which isn’t to be uncomfortable for so many times and then you stop thinking it’s uncomfortable and this is I guess one of the things.
Heyang: Right. Well, I think when I watch especially those hiphop and rap music videos, when it’s just alpha male culture being presented there, and it’s always scantily clad models and guys just flashing their money and that kind of scene, it always disturbs me a bit. And I think, to some extent, I agree with you Xiaohua, because that kind of conception behind is prevalent. It’s just a matter of showing it more or less. But I do feel uncomfortable when that happens. And that’s why when I went to Japan and I saw there was this café that had really handsome well-dressed male butlers serve you in that café and I was like “Great, this is how things should be.”
Xiaohua: But, would Mark feel uncomfortable going into such a café?
Mark: Well, I mean, they had their clothes on, right? (Heyang: Yes.) I mean were they wearing you know tuxedos and just looked (Heyang: very presentable). Well, that’s OK. That’s people making themselves look the best they can, and nothing wrong with that.
Xiaohua: There’s another store, chain store, which sales clothes. I’m not gonna mention its name, but I think all girls know the store that sells sort of sporty clothes. They always have a line of male models who bare their chests either standing outside or inside their stores. And there’s always a long line of female costumers there just waiting to take a photo with them.
Mark: Yeah. I think that’s OK. I mean that doesn’t matter.
Xiaohua: Doesn’t bother you?
Mark: That doesn’t really bother me. I mean it’s people making a living aren’t they. I think there’s a difference between that and somebody you know wearing virtually no clothes dancing upon the podium. I mean there was the chippendale, you know, the male strippers. women would like to go there for a night out and see them. And I think men tend to think that it just a bit of joke and the guys are just making a bit of money out of women’s foolishness.
Heyang: How could that be a joke? That’s like a major business opportunity. It’s reminds me of Magic Mike. It’s a Hollywood movie about male strippers and that’s got super good-looking eye-candy men in it. It’s not been shown in China in cinemas. So, my girlfriends and I, a whole bunch of us, we got the DVD and cracked open a bottle of champagne and some ice-cream and other stuff and watched it together at home. And it is certainly the kind of thing that I think in the future maybe there is, it depends on how you play with it, but there is a great opportunity there, but it’s just how do you display it.
Xiaohua: Yeah, I think we shouldn’t turn a blind eye on the need for women to see beautiful men. Let’s just say that, because there’s definitely a need for men to see and enjoy beautiful women. I mean if this is normal, then it is also normal for women to want to enjoy the beauty of men. Hence, it is normal for businesses to want to target that need.
