By Alyson Fixter
Lads’ weekly Zoo has revealed a new look, just over a year after
launch, in an attempt to redefine itself as “smarter, cooler and
classier” than rival Nuts.
Publisher Emap said this week that although semi-nude girls were a
“valid entry point” for a men’s magazine, it would risk becoming
“one-dimensional” if that was all it offered.
The new-look
magazine, which hit the newsstand on Tuesday with the new slogan “Zoo
makes your week!”, now includes an 11-page entertainments section
called The Guide, a “100 People We Hate” feature, a pullout sports
section nearer the front and more editorial pages overall.
An
Emap spokeswoman said: “Regular product refreshment is essential in a
weekly market. The changes to the magazine will build upon its current
momentum as the fastest growing men’s magazine and ensure that it
continues to feel fresh and exciting in consumers’ minds.
“Discerning
young men look for variety and breadth of content from their magazine.
With this in mind, Zoo will be giving over more pagination to key areas
of interest to men: humour, sport, entertainment. The new flatplan
means that we can also give over more pagination to in-depth reads.”
She
said Zoo was already gaining more upmarket readers than IPC’s Nuts, by
positioning itself as a title with more personality and authority.
Editor
Paul Merrill added: “‘Our new design marks out Zoo as the smartest,
coolest and classiest magazine in its market. We’re the magazine which
is in tune with its readers lives – and we’re not afraid to speak our
minds.”
Meanwhile, IPC men’s monthly Loaded claims that 60 per
cent of newsagents ran out of copies of the relaunch issue in its first
nine days on the newsstand.
A spokesman said the original print
run was already the highest in 12 months, and that 12 per cent more
copies then had to be printed.
He said: “This is unprecedented in Loaded’s history. It is extremely unusual in IPC.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog