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Public Relations · Published April 28, 2013

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

Beyond “Metro” why male beauty PR must change its message

male fashion pr experts showcasing style and trends
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While it may be tempting to focus any conversation about beauty PR on superficial concerns, smart beauty PR goes much deeper. Society and culture are constantly changing. As culture continues to wonder what it means to be masculine, beauty PR must continue to evolve.  How can beauty PR keep pace with culture while also working to position the client as a trendsetter? 5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian, reveals five important answers to that question.

Male Beauty Public Relations

Beauty PR must reflect the market

It is vital to communicate an understanding that the stereotype is not the reality. Guys do not fall into two categories – “metro male” and “caveman.” Beauty PR sells an image, something for that guy to aspire to. But there is no need to label a prospect before attempting to connect with him. Depending on his job, background, culture, peer group or chosen hobbies, a man will fall anywhere along a spectrum between those extremes. But he will rarely be exclusively one or the other.

Beauty PR must define the market

Steve Jobs said, “marketing is all about values.” Your beauty PR efforts must reflect this. A man’s fashion choices communicate a great deal about what he values. To fully connect with a potential client or customer, a beauty PR message must express shared values. A brand’s ideal customer may care about his appearance but have other concerns that are higher priorities. A marketing message that celebrates these concerns and affirms these values will have a greater impact than a message that ignores them.

Beauty PR must encourage participation

Beauty PR should focus on a specific market. But the message must be crafted to attract participation and grow the market base. That means communicating a specific message in a way that has more general appeal. Public relations firms must thoroughly understand both markets to achieve optimal success.

Beauty PR must reflect the culture

Cultural trends are always changing. Understanding how and why men make choices – from appropriate wardrobe to lifelong vocation – is vital to crafting a successful beauty PR campaign.

Beauty PR must drive the culture

No matter what the current “it” trend happens to be, mass media is always in a position to push that trend forward or completely out of the way. When attempting to set trends or redefine what beauty means for a man, public relations messages must continue to reflect the values inherent in its target market. In doing so, beauty PR can encourage men to explore and experiment with new looks or definitions of appropriateness or attractiveness without asking them to sacrifice what they believe in.
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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