Channel 4’s Mirror on the Industry: brands missing the mark on modern masculinity

Advertising is out of step with modern masculinity, with only one in four young men regularly seeing advertising that reflects the man they want to become. 

That’s according to Mirror on Masculinities, the latest in Channel 4’s award-winning Mirror on the Industry research series which has explored advertising representation since 2019. The report, produced in partnership with National Research Group (NRG), reveals one third of young men rarely or never see examples of the man they would like to be in advertising. Additionally, more than one third of men say advertisers must do more around the representation of men in advertising, rising to half of men aged 25-34.

Mirror on Masculinities also found that among the young men surveyed, many adverts lean on a “narrow, glossy vision of masculinities to sell their product. Young men want, and expect, aspirational advertising, but they want it to be anchored in some sense of realism”. The top descriptions of male characters in TV advertising are ‘strong’, ‘successful’, ‘intelligent’ or ‘overly masculine’.

Over half of young men believe the pressure to be masculine is coming from women, which the report notes is aligning to the “growing cultural and political divergence between young men and women”, highlighting for advertisers an absence of shared experiences and understanding, “exacerbated by increasingly isolated online and real-life spaces”.

Based on the perceptions of those surveyed, three pillars emerged which underpin young men’s understanding and experience of masculinities. ‘Men as Builders’, with 76% of young men believing as a man, you should always have goals that you are working towards in life”. ‘Men as Leaders’, with two thirds of young men agreeing “as a man, you should step up and take the lead in most situations”. And ‘Men as Providers’ based on findings including six in ten agreeing a “real man is the breadwinner in his family”.

These pillars highlight that many young men’s perceptions are rooted in more traditional ideals of masculinities. The report outlines the potential to reimagine these traditional values, helping to avoid reinforcing stereotypes and to offer young men a broader set of possibilities that reflect their diverse, lived realities.

In response, Mirror on Masculinities makes recommendations for brands and marketeers:

• Modernise pillars of manhood: Build on what matters to young men, inclusive of emotional depth, vulnerability, and growth. 
• Explore intersections: reflect masculinities shaped by race, class, gender identity, sexuality, and disability.
• Culture cues: learn from the appeals of sport and digital creator culture.
• Celebrate friendship: friendship as a vehicle to create space for emotional safety.
• Build bridges: create stories that foster gender empathy and unity.
• Don’t forget the fun: use humour and joy to build connection.

Mirror on Masculinities builds on January’s publication of Channel 4’s Trends, Truth, Trust report which revealed the scale of the challenges facing Gen Z. It identified the worldview Boys Can’t be Boys whereby some believe traditional masculinity is under threat.

Rak Patel, Chief Commercial Officer, Channel 4 said: “Through our TV programming such as Big Boys and advertising schemes such as the Diversity In Advertising Award, Channel 4 strives to challenge and encourage diverse representation beyond stereotypes. This work continues and we now urge advertisers, creatives and marketeers to do the same around masculinity. The gap between how men are portrayed and how they want to see themselves is wide. Brands that embrace this complexity will not only connect more deeply, but they’ll also drive better business results.”

Joe Hall, Senior Research Executive, Channel 4, said: “This is a call to evolve—not just how we portray men, but how we understand them. Young men are saying they want to see ambition, leadership, and emotional depth reflected at them. The report is clear: representation needs to move beyond stereotypes and into modern masculinities."

Holly Hewlett, Vice President of Content Development and Marketing Strategy, NRG said: “One of the most revealing findings was that many young men in the UK feel the strongest pressure to ‘be masculine’ comes from women, not other men. This growing gender empathy gap – where men and women are experiencing masculinity from very different vantage points – signals a disconnect. For brands, there’s a powerful role to play in bridging that gap through stories that build mutual understanding.”