Nuts relaunch: ‘Girls, sport and humour are antidote to pressures young men face’

IPC has announced a relaunch of weekly lads’ mag Nuts ahead of ABC sales figure for the second half of the year which are due to be announced on Thursday.

Editor Dominic Smith said in a press statement that after six months of market research they had found that the magazine’s mix of “girls, sport and especially humour is as an important antidote” to the increasing pressures young men face.

The relaunch is being backed, IPC said, by a £500,000 marketing campaign.

In the last six months of 2011 sales of Nuts fell 19.6 per cent to 142,212. For in-depth coverage of all the consumer magazine industry ABC figures log on to Press Gazette from midday on Thursday this week.

Here is the full press release from IPC on the Nuts relaunch:

IPC Media today (Monday 15 August 2011) unveils a brand new look for Nuts, Britain’s best selling men’s magazine.

The Nuts refresh is the culmination of six months’ extensive research and development work. This research revealed that while Britain’s young men still place a high value on men’s magazines as a source of entertainment, excitement, escapism and social currency, many feel misunderstood. More than seven out of 10 feel that the British media portray young men negatively and the public is equally quick to stereotype them.

Jo Smalley, Nuts publishing director, says: “As publisher of Britain’s number one men’s lifestyle media brand, IPC continually strives to refine and define how to best engage the hardest to reach audience there is – young British men. This refresh is the key part of broader investment in retail activity, a new marketing campaign and the ongoing development of the Nuts brand across all platforms.

Nuts editor Dominic Smith says: “The research revealed that the pressures young men face today are even more profound than they were when Nuts launched a few years ago. Our editorial mix of girls, sport and especially humour is as an important antidote to these pressures.”

The Nuts refresh brings one of its most powerful core attributes, humour, to the forefront. The new look also launches a number of new features and franchises including:

·        A new columnist – sex and relationship advice from Danni Orsi, the stunning star of Channel 5’s reality TV show Candy Bar Girls

·        Smash hit comedy cartoon football strip which playfully lampoons football’s great and good. Previously an occasional in The Sun but now brought to the Nuts readership every week

·        A “Your Nuts” section, a potent mix of user-generated content, comedy and jokes from readers and the cream of British comedy

·        “Stuff I Like.” which brings a new celebrity element into the brand each week, revealing what gadgets and gear they covet. The initial run-up of celebrities featured includes rapper star Example, Boardwalk Empire’s Stephen Graham and boxer Amir Khan

Dominic Smith adds: “We’ve evolved the magazine to build on its existing strengths. The research revealed there is an appetite for a slightly more premium magazine but one that retains all the core Nuts values and still unashamedly celebrates what young men love.

“Nuts was clearly recognised as being far funnier than other men’s titles, so we’ve enhanced the bite-sized bits of humour that make it stand out. Fresh art direction from art director Simon Freeborough heighten the fun and energetic feel so characteristic of Nuts. There’s been a huge emphasis on creating more entry points to our editorial, adding more value, and making sure that every single page delivers the instant recognition essential to our demanding audience.”

The new Nuts will also be supported by a £500,000 marketing and retail promotion, including an above-the-line advertising campaign created by Leagas Delaney. The first wave of marketing introduces three pieces of brilliant creative in a campaign that will continue into 2012. The advertising campaign features a series of comic situations that any man can find himself in and uses the strapline “When you REALLY need something funny”.

The campaign launches on Monday 15^th August with media space secured on print, outdoor, online, washroom media, ambient media and TV sponsorship.

The new-look Nuts magazine hits the news-stand on Tuesday 16 August, fronted by cover star Jessica-Jane Clement (BBC’s The Real Hustle).