FHM and Maxim lead men's market down as weeklies peter out

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 16-Feb-06, 12:30

LONDON - Men's monthlies were hit hard by falling sales as FHM lost 10% and Maxim lost 16% of their circulations in six months, according to the magazine ABCs for July-December 2005.

The overall men's market shrank by 1.4% to 2.135m copies period-on-period, as the gains enjoyed by the new weekly lads mags petered out.

Emap's monthly market leader FHM sold almost 60,000 fewer copies than in the first half of the year. It was down 10.6% to 500,865, equivalent to a 13.6% fall over 12 months.

There were also woeful performances for Dennis Publishing's Maxim, down 16.2% to 190,438, and The National Magazine Company's Esquire, down 14.2% to 54,548.

Esquire rival GQ, over at Conde Nast, had a better time of it, climbing 1% to 126,275 while Emap's Arena was up 5.6% to 49,296.

IPC Media's Loaded showed more resistance to the trend with a slighter fall, dropping 2.1% to 232,001.

The star performer was Haymarket's technology-led Stuff, up 17.3% to 90,750. Another niche title, Men's Health, enjoyed continued growth though incremental success with a 2.3% rise to 233,445.

Weeklies Nuts and Zoo, which have driven the market since their appearance two years ago, turned in an anaemic performance.

IPC's Nuts remained ahead with a 0.7% rise to 306,802 and Emap's Zoo was up 0.1% to 260,470.

Among the other monthlies, Dennis' Bizarre was down 6% to 71,776, falling 16.4% over 12 months.

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