Mens Monthly Style Magazine Roundup
In recent years the men’s monthly magazines market has grown considerably. There are currently nine titles in the market. Four were launched in the past five years with the latest addition, Ikon, launching at the end of July.
The expanding sector has seen massive growth in terms of copies sold lately; in a year on year comparison July-December 1993 and 1994, GQ’s ABC figure has risen from 100,424 to 126,227, an increase of 25.69% and an actual change of 25,803. Esquire sustained the second largest increase with a JL-Dec 93 figure of 90,514 rising to 110,583 for the same period in 1994, an increase of 22.17% and an actual rise of 20,069.
The Face fared less well compared with the other men’s magazines, and lost 3.85% circulation year on year (Jl-Dec 94 v 93). The Face and I-D are the oldest magazines in the comparison tables. While Face’s circulation is above 100,000 I-D has a circulation of 45,000.
I-D’s editorial aims at a young club-going image conscious male. The July front cover features Nadja Auermann and the photography is simple but stylish. Sky Magazine is aimed at a more main stream audience and the front cover usually features the latest ‘Mega Babe’. The majority of readers are aged between 18 and 34.
Loaded is a relative newcomer to the men’s magazine market. Launched in 1994 it has already won Magazine of the year. It is a ‘lads’ magazine which this month, July, features lifestyles in Monaco, this year’s porn film festival in Cannes, bars and brothels in South America and an interview with Spike Milligan. The cover features David Letterman. The Face is a style magazine which has a core readership of 18-30 year old ABC1s; 62% are men. The readership is similar to that of I-D but, the magazine covers more diverse subjects from interviews to an article about road protesters. Jarvis from Pulp adorns the cover.
For Him (FHM) features Paula Yates in bed on the cover. The main readers are aged between 20-35 and 70% ABC1 men. FHM has more emphasis on lifestyle with features ranging from an interview with Damon Albarn to fitness.
In the July editions, the cover of Maxim features a model in a swimsuit with a headline reading, Men on Top. Esquire’s cover has a full face picture of Tommy Lee Jones and GQ has Uma Thurman adorning the cover with the headline reading Umammmmmm. XL concentrates mainly on health and fitness. The cover promises to make you fitter and features two men.
The magazines range in price from £1.85 – £2.50 – the most inexpensive being Sky.
| Pub Co | Cvr Price | Launch | Latest Circulation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| date | ||||
| Sky | EMAP | #1.85 | 23/04/87 | 155,133 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| Face | Wagadon | #1.95 | 01/05/80 | 101,522 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| Esquire | NMC Ltd | #2.50 | 14/02/91 | 110,583 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| FHM | EMAP | #2. | 01/05/85 | 81,104 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| GQ | Conde Nast | #2.50 | /11/88 | 126,227 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| Loaded | IPC | #2.20 | 13/04/94 | 95,782 ABC 7/94-12/94 |
| I-D | Levelprint | #2.20 | 01/09/80 | 45,000 PS 7/95 |
| Maxim | Dennis Pub | #2.50 | 06/04/95 | 70,000 PS 7/95 |
| XL | Stonehart | #2.25 | 09/02/95 | 68,000 PS 7/95 |
| Ranked by Lowest Cost Per Thousand | ||||
| Pagination | Ad/Ed Ratio | Colour Page Rate | CPT# | |
| Loaded | 156 | 35:65 | 3125 | 32.89 |
| Sky | 132 | 30:70 | 5750 | 37 |
| Maxim | 148 | 16:48 | 3000 | 42.86 |
| I-D | 100 | 28:72 | 2000 | 44.44 |
| FHM | 148 | 32:68 | 3640 | 44.94 |
| Esquire | 178 | 35:65 | 5100 | 46.36 |
| The Face | 140 | 25:75 | 5000 | 49.5 |
| GQ | 182 | 37:63 | 6365 | 50.52 |
| XL | 116 | 22:78 | 3950 | 58.09 |
Source: July 1995 issues