the newsstand

[Dan Stiffler]

PLAYBOY leads total sales in the men's magazine category.  However, Maxim
far outsells PLAYBOY on the newsstand.  It's not even close, whereas the
overall sales figures are disturbingly so.

It can be fairly argued that the main reason for the Maxim lead is that it
is on many more newsstands than PLAYBOY, even with the recent cut from
Wal-Mart.  Just think about all the places you see Maxim and no PLAYBOY and
multiply that nationally.  That's a lot of Maxim issues with no competition
from PLAYBOY.  PLAYBOY loses at the newsstand not because it is an inferior
magazine or because it doesn't have Mariah Carey on its cover, but because
it is not there.

I still believe that there are ways to put PLAYBOY there, ways that would
not compromise the PLAYBOY brand or lifestyle.

But that's not my point here.  There may be a difference between a buyer at
a Maxim-only stand and a buyer who can chose between Maxim and PLAYBOY.  I
would guess that many of us here are the kind of magazine readers who go to
the newsstand intentionally.

We don't buy the majority of our magazines at the 7-11, Kroger, or Target.

It seems to me that PLAYBOY might be marketing itself for the impulse Maxim
buyer, and I am not talking nudity.  I'm talking celebrities on the cover,
with plenty of content lines a barkin'.  In other words, the Maxim cover.

That said, we have had two covers in a row without celebrities, both
wonderful covers (excepting the content lines).  I think the Lauren Michelle
Hill cover is a standout.  Lauren was a fan favorite from the day her
centerfold hit the stands and to bring her back for a second cover is a
beautiful move.  Also, the product placement with the shoes and the panties
adds to a long tradition.  The Girls of X Conference covers have been the
safest bet for a fine cover since, well, way back.

Did anyone else notice in the October "Next Month," or am I so
pop-culturally illiterate that I didn't recognize, a celebrity pictorial
promised for November?  Could this be true?

Anyway, I guess my main point is why market for a buyer who won't be at the
stand where PLAYBOY is sold?

Regards,

Dan Stiffler