Aside from blondes, what do men prefer? In the endless war that is Apple vs Microsoft, it seems men or, at the very least, males of the species prefer Redmond. Surprising? Hardly and some might say that it’s further proof that women are always right.
So, the good people at Annalect did a study of men (pdf) of specific ages — Boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen Xers (born 1965-1979) and Millennials (born 1980-2000) — to find out their brand preferences vis-a-vis a long list of the usual suspects, including Starbucks, McDonalds’s, Microsoft Coca Cola, Apple, Levi’s and Nike. And, if you have followed these things over the years, the results will come as no surprise.
“Across all product categories, reinforce men’s position as a stakeholder in the purchase process by targeting them through male-oriented media (e.g., sports, gaming, etc.),” writes Annalect. “Despite some difficulties that come with their evolving roles, men embrace this new sense of involvement and responsibility within their homes and families.”
Dull, boringly frustrating Microsoft comes out on top — men prefer the “safe” choice. While Boomer, Gen X and Millenial men prefer Microsoft overall, there is a fair bit of variation among the groups and Apple is never far from the top.
Furthermore, it is worth noting the shifting fortunes of Coke, Pepsi and, especially, Levi’s among the generations. While your kids might be different, mine don’t wear let alone like bluejeans and only know Levi’s from TV.
Men Prefer Smart Women?
Likewise, it seems that men under 40 don’t know IBM, which is perhaps unsurprising as Big Blue has few consumer facing products anymore.
And, yes, as alluded to in the lede, women tend to prefer Apple products in general.
Proof positive that the fairer sex is always right? As a Mac, iPad and iPhone loving American man, women have my vote.
What do your men prefer? And, the women?
What’s your take?