ABC Results Jul-Dec 2005:Weeklies Strong As Men’s Mags See Mixed Results
The latest ABC results for the six months to December 2005 show a mixed bag of results for the men’s magazine market, with weekly titles Nuts and Zoo continuing to perform well, while several of their highest profile monthly rivals suffer a downturn in sales.
Amongst the worst casualties was Esquire magazine, shedding 23.6% from its circulation year on year to total 54,548. The narrowest of margins now separates it from technology-focused lifestyle magazine, T3.
Elsewhere, Dennis Publishing’s niche magazine Bizarre suffered a similar fate, losing 16.4% from its sales year on year to see its circulation rest at 71,776.
High profile men’s monthly FHM also struggled, with Emap’s flagship title seeing a dip of 13.6%. The downturn leaves the title with a circulation of 500,865, although this remains head and shoulders above rivals in the monthly men’s market.
Elsewhere, the men’s market saw some healthy rises in sales during the final six months of 2005, with mostly niche titles adding to their circulations.
Technology-focused Stuff magazine put in a strong performance to add 21.7% year on year, pushing the title’s total circulation to 90,750.
Elsewhere, Emap’s Arena also saw a significant percentage increase, rising by 11.2% year on year to 49,296, while BBC Origin’s Focus added 7.6% in the same period.
IPC’s iconic men’s monthly Loaded saw an upturn in sales, mirroring the success of its weekly counterpart Nuts, with an increase of 5.4% year on year. Loaded’s circulation now stands at 232,001 while Nuts commands a total of 306,802 following an 11.4% rise year on year.
The increase sees Nuts widen its lead over rival Emap’s Zoo magazine, with the two weekly titles now separated by just over 46,000 copies.
| Men’s Lifestyle Magazine Circulations: Jul-Dec 2005 Year On Year Comparisons | |||||
| Title | Publisher | Jul-Dec 04 | Jul-Dec 05 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Arena | EMAP | 44,347 | 49,296 | 4,949 | 11.2 |
| Bizarre | Dennis Publishing Limited | 85,852 | 71,776 | -14,076 | -16.4 |
| Esquire | The National Magazine Company Ltd | 71,401 | 54,548 | -16,853 | -23.6 |
| FHM (For Him Magazine) | EMAP | 580,027 | 500,865 | -79,162 | -13.6 |
| Focus | BBC Origin Publishing | 53,270 | 57,306 | 4,036 | 7.6 |
| GQ | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 125,016 | 126,275 | 1,259 | 1.0 |
| Loaded | IPC Media Ltd | 220,057 | 232,001 | 11,944 | 5.4 |
| Maxim | Dennis Publishing Limited | 234,183 | 190,438 | -43,745 | -18.7 |
| Mens Fitness | Dennis Publishing Limited | 64,047 | 67,671 | 3,624 | 5.7 |
| Mens Health | Natmag Rodale | 229,116 | 233,445 | 4,329 | 1.9 |
| Nuts* | IPC Media Ltd | 275,459 | 306,802 | 31,343 | 11.4 |
| Stuff | Haymarket Publishing Group Limited | 74,570 | 90,750 | 16,180 | 21.7 |
| T3** | Future Publishing Ltd | 54,217 | 54,488 | 271 | 0.5 |
| Zoo* | EMAP | 240,215 | 260,470 | 20,255 | 8.4 |
| Total | 2,351,777 | 2,296,131 | -55,646 | -2.4 | |
| *Published Weekly **12 Month Figure (Jan-Dec 05) | |||||
13th June 2006– Please note that Maxim’s figures have been revised today (13/06/06) due to Dennis Publishing wrongly including 4,530 free copies that were distributed too late to be included. As such Maxim’s circulation has been revised downwards from 190,438 to 185,908.
The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 16 February 2006. Late submissions and changes may be made after this date, and will thereafter be amended in MediaTel’s Press database.
ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk