But there are times of confusion: like when I walk to the London tube on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
On Wednesdays, someone tends to offer me the free magazine Stylist, which I studiously avoid because I know from previous experience that my book of the moment is likely to entertain me more. On Thursdays, I have to corner the nearest vendor and pull the free Shortlist from their hands in order to enjoy the one morning read that distracts me from my book of the moment.
I love Shortlist, but it always causes a twinge of gender confusion because the magazine is blatantly targeted at MEN. The magazines are partnered and mirror each other in many ways, but one is blatantly intended for women and the other is for men.
So I thought I would pick up both magazines this week and find out what a “real woman” or “real man” should be.
Some findings that may interest you:
About women…
- There is a “generation of women succumbing to depression and the pressures of everyday life”, so they have been provided with info on luxurious spas, escape to wine tasting, the high life, alternative remedies, healthy eating, fitness advertorials and the happiness benefits of pets.
- Rachel Weisz is a modern female role model – “no sexy femme fatale”, but rather “messy, superstitious and not so great at cooking”.
- Women like reading.
- Abortion, divorce and gender inequality are issues that interest women.
- Women like shoes.
- Men don’t need a personal editorial.
- Danny Wallace is a modern male role model – a father with a sense of humour.
- Men want to play games: with tech toys, on the sports field, on computers, and on page 54 (crosswords).
- Men watch movies.
- Politics, business and sports are issues that interest men.
- Men like cars.
What advertisers think…
- Women are attracted to pink, light blue and brown colours on the cover. Men prefer red, black and grey.
- Men are worth 16 pages of fashion and personal grooming ads (excluding advertorials). Women only have 9 pages.
- Both men and women are attracted to the same sexy female models who advertise tailored by in England clothing, but men prefer to see them immediately on page 3 whereas women can wait for page 30.
- Women should be made aware of museum exhibitions whereas men should be told about computer games.
It seems for those of us who can’t recall a previous life on Mars or Venus, we shall have to make do with the ever-changing confusion of being from Earth.
