Thursday, November 10, 2011

Shaken, Stirred: New ‘Man Cave’ Collection Mixes it up with Colors

Take note, Jane Lockhart.

Be warned, David Bromstadt.

If you haven’t heard about it yet, you may want to make room on your HGTV shows for a new kid on the paint color block.

We’re talking about “Ultimate Man Caves,” a new paint color collection from north of the border.

After all, diversity is a good thing. So why shouldn’t a man have a say about the hue of his habitat?

“Since the dawn of time…men have been decorating their caves,” asserts the new product brochure from the creators of the “Man Caves” collection—Canada’s CIL Paints.

CIL may just be on to something here, and they say they have evidence to that effect.

Yes, we hear all the time that color selection of paint—and even the job of painting itself—has increasingly become the territory of the gentler gender. But some of us know first-hand that this is by no means a universal demographic shift. CIL agrees.

“Studies show that men are key in making decisions about home painting projects,” CIL says in announcing the launch of “Man Caves.”

Thus, CIL has manned up and gone public with this male-oriented palette, along with color names that resonate with the ESPN and SPIKE TV audience.

The “Man Caves Collection” offers a manlier slant on paint color choices. Above: the “Mo’ Money Gaming Cave” from the collection brochure.

In the “Man Caves” translation, Cloud Nine is Iced Vodka, Moonlight Drive makes way for Maverick, Fairytale Green goes by Mo Money, Plateau Gray morphs into Five-O’Clock Shadow, and Butterscotch is relabeled Beer Time.

The CIL Paints color collection for men—ahem, “colour” in the language of our northern neighbors—has been devised “to get males more enthusiastic about the painting process,” the company says, adding that the collection has been created with the help of the public. In August, CIL Paints launched a Facebook contest calling on Canadians to rename existing CIL paint colors for a more masculine audience.

“More than 15,000 respondents rose to the challenge from coast to coast,” the company says.

The Man Caves brochure features 20 of the most popular paint colors for men, as determined by both Canadian men and women. The brochure is being featured in stores alongside CIL’s existing display of more than 1,200 colors, and the original paint names will continue to be part of the existing CIL collection.

“When it comes to paint names, it’s all about the emotional connection, and our research shows that men and women tend to relate to paint names differently,” Alison Goldman, CIL Paints marketing communications manager, says in the company’s announcement on the Man Caves collection.

“CIL Paints is excited to take the lead in launching a color collection designed specifically for men, especially since studies show that while a larger percentage of women tend to choose paint colors for their home, it’s often men who give the colors a final nod.”

The Midlife Crisis Can Cave color scheme here adds some zip to the shave and shower.

That’s right, a final nod. It’s a nod with purpose…not like what happens when we’re subjected to Desperate Housewives reruns on Lifetime.

So check out the brochure, guys, and gals. There’s some real inspiration here…suggested combinations for “The Maverick Home Bar Cave,” “The Confident Unconscious Cave,” The Mo’ Money Gaming Cave.” There’s even a “Midlife Crisis Can Cave” that enhances the shower and shave experience.

Other color combinations in the brochure are depicted in the Pimpin’ the Trans Am Workout Cave and the Sucker Punch Home Office Cave.

You never know…some of these colors might just get us off the couch and into the Workbench Cave.

For the whole story, go to CIL Paints. The Man Caves Collection brochure will be made available on the site within the next few days, the company tells Durability + Design.