James Brown uncovers Jack magazine

by Claire Billings,, Brand Republic 19-Apr-02, 09:00

LONDON - Former Loaded founder James Brown will today unveil the launch issue of his highly anticipated lads mag, Jack, which goes on sale Thursday April 25.

The A5 monthly magazine, which will be on sale priced £2.50, targets men aged 25-40 years old and will comprise "an orgy of war, animals, fashion, genius and cool", according to its publisher I Feel Good.

Jack is expected to mark a radical step away from the traditional lads magazine market, which over-serves the younger male audience with the likes of Loaded, FHM and Maxim -- titles that still rely heavily on semi-naked women to boost sales.

With its first front cover -- rather than plaster glossy pictures of raunchy women on the front -- Jack publisher IFG has opted for a pastiche of a 1950's B-movie poster featuring a bathing-suited pin-up, which is decidedly modest by today's standards.

The magazine's coverlines advertise features such as Underdog Wars, Primal Scream singer Bobby Gillesgie, 'The Office' Dissected, Scorsese on Gangs and Superhero Sex.

The magazine's content and style will be closely monitored by rival men's magazine publishers, such as IPC Media, which owns Loaded, and Emap, which publishes FHM.

The latest ABC saw a drastic fall in sales of lads' mags and the industry is hoping that what Brown creates in Jack, will lead the way in a recovery of the men's publishing sector.

Above the masthead of Jack, the blurb reads: "The best new men's mag in years". The quote is attributed to Brown.

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