Ergonomically designed, specifically made for the modern metrosexual, and tailored to suit male ‘hunter’ instincts

• Research reveals that male shopping habits are based on man’s ancestral hunting techniques, with 70% of men fitting the ‘hunter’ profile – they shop swiftly, quietly and in solitude, to track down specific and valuable items ^[1]
• Average ‘hunter’ male sees shopping as a way of collecting belongings that assert wealth, dominance and social status, all of which were once necessary for survival ^[1]
• Today’s Mr. Average is 5’10, weighs 79.8kgs and earns £28,270 a year. He will spend £570 a year on designer clothes, £1,144 on beer, over £2,000 shopping online and £2,189 on gadgets annually ^[2]
• In his lifetime, the average British man will spend a total of 10,585 hours in the pub, will say sorry 1.9 million times, spend 11 years in front of the TV and will have learnt to cook just four meals ^[2]
• Introducing the ‘The Hunter’, the perfect bag for today’s modern man: combining ergonomic design, integrated state-of-the-art technology, and lightweight but super-durable nylon carbon ballistic weave ^[3]

Embargoed until 00:01, 25^th February 2011. The design for the perfect man bag has been unveiled today by shopping comparison site Kelkoo. Following the rise in popularity of male bags over the past decade, they have become the ultimate status symbol for today’s modern metrosexual, and are now sported by an increasing number of celebrities like David Beckham, Jude Law and Brad Pitt. To create the perfectly designed bag based on man’s psychological and physiological needs Kelkoo teamed up with Geoffrey Beattie, Professor of Anthropology at Manchester University, and ergonomic design engineers, Hyphen Design. The newly unveiled concept, ‘The Hunter’, is based on the commonly understood premise that the majority of modern male shopping behaviours are based on our ancestral hunting and gathering skills ^[1].

Profile of a ‘Hunter Male’

Britain’s 21^st century Mr. Average measures 5’10, weighs 79.8kgs and earns £28,270 a year. Among other things in his lifetime, the average British man will sleep with nine partners, spend a total of 441 days in the pub, say sorry 1.9 million times, spend 11 years in front of the TV, waste one month looking for lost socks and will have learnt to cook just four meals. When it comes to his behavioural traits in relation to shopping, 70% of men fit the ‘hunter’ profile, with the average ‘hunter’ male seeing shopping as a way of collecting belongings that assert wealth, dominance and social status – all of which were once necessary for survival ^[2].

Although men are increasingly involved in the shopping experience, women are still the primary purchasers in most households, and tend to do approximately 80% of the household shopping. According to a theory that accounts for gender differences in consumer behaviour, rooted in evolutionary psychology, women shop to attract a mate, while men see shopping as a mission. Women view shopping expeditions as fun, social and enjoyable experiences, whereas for men shopping is a 21^st century hunting exercise – they shop swiftly, quietly and generally in solitude. A man will typically be purpose-driven, and set on his mission to look for specific items. Although the ‘prey’ is now more likely to be a wireless gadget than a wild boar, men still have the instinct to track it down, go in for the kill and get it home as quickly as possible ^[1].

The desire to assert power and social status is today demonstrated through material items and the need to socialise, with the average man spending £2,189 a year on gadgets, £2,001 on online purchases, £1,114 on beer, £570 on designer clothes, and £417 eating out. While these modern objects do not hold any innate reward value as such, research has shown that they activate the neural structures of the reward circuitry in the brain in the same way as our survival related objects of the past (food) ^[2].

Women, on the other hand, see shopping as a leisure pursuit and spend an average of 8.5 years of their life shopping. As the primary purchasers in most households, 8 in 10 women fit the traditional ‘gatherer’ profile – they have higher levels of intent to purchase, but are less secure in their purchasing decisions and spend more time browsing and researching choices. Women also tend to outnumber men by a factor of 2:1 in stores ^[1].

Sling Design & Easy to Stuff Pockets

Inspired by the ‘quick draw’ slings of our ancestors, the ‘The Hunter’ features a side opening which allows a man to store and access items quickly on the move. Designed to be worn across the chest, the strap can be worn both ways across the body to allow men to use alternate shoulders and minimise pressure and stress on the body.

Integrated Clearway Technology

Research indicates that men find shopping less enjoyable than women; they spend less time browsing and are less engaged with the shopping process. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible. It is for that reason that the bag has integrated ‘Clearway’ non- lethal military technology, a high frequency sound wave which is out of normal human hearing range. When switched on it encourages people to subconsciously move out of the way in crowded shopping environments.

Built-in Motokinetic Technology

Hunters are traditionally defined by their tools, which help make life easier. For example a man’s ancestors would have used the bow and arrow. Today, our tools are more technical and the internet provides the ‘hunter’ with access to infinite knowledge and information so he can shop, hunt and gather to the best of his ability. It’s with this in mind that Motokinetic wireless charging technology is built-in, so that all of the hunter’s smart gadgets are always charged and he’s never without access to the internet.

Ergonomic Fit

Due to the increased use of man bags to carry electronic hardware, bags are getting heavier and carrying them for prolonged periods of time can ultimately cause back injury and shoulder pain. ‘The Hunter’ is ergonomically designed to distribute the load evenly, minimising twist and cantilevered loading which can cause back pain. The use of smart cells in the material, tighten against his body so he can confidently run without the bag falling off – keeping him quick and nimble on his hunt. Finally, the small size of the bag restricts the number of items which can be carried, keeping its weight to a minimum.

Lightweight Nylon Carbon Material

The Hunter is made from super lightweight, durable Nylon-Carbon ballistic weave – traditionally used by the military. Twice as strong as the average rucksack, more durable and stain resistant, the bag is designed to protect a man’s valuable purchases and to be a lifelong ‘hunting’ companion.

Utility Strap

Finally, the Hunter bag’s utility strap has a pocket for storing energy bars and drinks to ensure the man can maintain concentration and focus on the hunt.

Chris Simpson, Marketing Director Kelkoo, comments: “Forget the old-fashioned briefcase, it’s the man bag that has come of age and is helping retailers and leading fashion brands to boost their profits. In the run up to Christmas, Burberry reported a 27% rise in sales crediting the increased popularity of its trendy male satchels as a key factor in its success. In addition, John Lewis recently announced a 21% increase in man bag sales over the past year, with a trend for shoppers buying ever smaller canvas or leather bags that they can sling across their backs.

“In the age of the metrosexual, man bags have become the ultimate accessory and are now a necessity for many men during their daily lives, but they could cause back and shoulder pain due to an uneven distribution of weight. Our design, inspired by the behavioural and psychological traits apparent in today’s male, provides the right balance between the perfect fashion accessory to carry modern day hunting tools and a comfortable ergonomic fit to minimise stress on the body.”

For more information on the ‘The Hunter’, to compare the latest man bags available from leading retailers, or if you just want to give us feedback on our design, visit: www.manbag.kelkoo.co.uk.

Table revealing the physical, behavioural and anthropological traits of 21^st century Mr. and Ms. Average ^[2]:

For further information please contact:

Cristina Rebollo, PR Director, Kelkoo

Tel: +44 (0)203 4029 446
Mobile: +44 (0)7796 540645

Cristina.rebollo@kelkoo.com

The Red Consultancy

Tel: +44 (0)207 025 6603

allkelkooteam@redconsultancy.com

Notes to editors

1. ‘The Hunter’ was commissioned by Kelkoo and designed by Hyphen Design. The inspiration and rationale for the ‘Hunter’ concept was based on Kelkoo’s work with Professor Geoffrey Beattie, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Manchester. A summary of the report entitled: Shopping Bag for Men and the literature review by Professor Beattie is available on request.
2. Behavioural shopping traits and data on Mr. and Ms. Average are sourced from the report created by Hyphen Designs for Kelkoo, entitled ‘Shopping Bag for Men’, which is available on request.
3. The Hunter Bag – images available on request.