Lads’ Mags Suffer As Bubble Begins To Burst

The lads’ mag phenomenon which was pioneered by IPC’s Loaded during the late ’90s, and mimicked to greater or lesser degrees by FHM, Maxim and GQ, seems to have finally lost its sparkle. In two consecutive audits now, both Loaded and FHM have seen their circulations tumble year on year.

EMAP’s FHM, whilst holding steady period on period, dropped almost 50,000 in sales year on year for the July-December 1999 period. FHM is still the market leader in this sector, though, with a circulation of just over 700,000 in this audit. Meanwhile, at IPC, Loaded saw circulation fall back by over 85,000 or 19%. EMAP also saw sales fall at Arena, the men’s fashion-led title recently acquired with the purchase of the Wagadon publishing group (see EMAP Boosts Consumer Magazine Portfolio With Acquisition Of Wagadon).

Despite further losses in the market from Esquire, Maxim, Face, Sky and Men’s Health, the overall men’s lifestyle sector has grown thanks to the launch of Later from IPC and Front from Cabal Communications. Total circulation for the sector was up 3.8% to 2.6 million copies.

IPC’s Later, which receives its first audit in these figures, is currently selling 90,000 copies per issue, way below the title’s initial print run of 400,000 copies (see IPC Outlines Marketing Plans For Later). However, the title is still ahead of established magazines like Esquire and Arena with this figure. Cabal’s Front has sales still hovering around the 140,000 mark, having also launched with an initial run of 400,000.

EMAP, with FHM, FHM Collections, Sky and recently-acquired Arena and Face titles, dominates the men’s lifestyle market with a market share of 38%. IPC and Dennis, which publishes Maxim, come in second and third with market shares of 17% and 12% respectively.

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