Media choice: Monkey

by John Dalziel, Managing director, RLA Scotland, Marketing 15-Nov-06

I am never sure who these online mags are aimed at; Peter Pan-generation blokes like me who spend hours convincing themselves that grey stubble is attractive, or lads whose mating rituals revolve around how loud an exhaust they can fit to their mum's Corsa.

Maybe it's meant to appeal to all of us. It certainly packs a lot in:
girls, motors, football, gadgets, game reviews, online games, toilet
humour, violence, porn, competitions, even fashion - it's like having

the whole web in one place, including loads of links to other sites,

allowing readers more time in the experience - but without anything
really useful or new. We've pretty much seen it all before, including
the admittedly fascinating and seemingly never-ending stream of young
women willing to bare (nearly) all.

Unless you are lucky enough to have had your ride pimped by Xzibit,
Monkey remains a lonely experience. Printed titles allow readers to
share a moment with peers, whether donutting in a B&Q car park or with
colleagues on the way to a meeting. This all feels a bit cold and
commercial rather than a response to an audience need.

I did like the 'boss button', which pops a spreadsheet up to hide the
mag in case he or she is 'walking the walk', although even this is not
an original feature. It does raise one question, however: what do
readers who fall into the 'boss' category press when they get
caught?

Publisher: Dennis Publishing.