This research helps to discover: (1) relevant masculinity types for male advertising models in
China; (2) Chinese female consumers’ reaction to different masculinity types of male
advertising models; (3) different characteristics of Chinese females that are relevant for
reactions to different types of male advertising models in China. Based on a online survey
with 384 female respondents in China, we found that Stern and Sophisticated masculinity type
would be the most welcomed one among female’s view. Our results also show the importance
of fashion leaders who hold totally different opinions with fashion followers. Moreover, we
do not find the significant differences between different age groups, gender identity or living
environment. But we confirm that fashion leaders tend to be younger, more masculinity urban
female in our survey. These results should be an innovative field to the existing literature and
provide implications for future male model studies.
Keywords: Male masculinity types; Fashion Leadership; Stern and Sophisticated; Hofstede’s
cultural dimensions; Metrosexuality.
