Abstract
Magazines such as FHM, Entrevue, Men's health, Max, are today widespread not only by their target public, i.e. youngsters and young adults, but also by the grown-ups in general. How is this possible, given that the whole lot was not even issued in 1997 in France? The story began in the UK in 1994 when the group IPC carried out a subtle survey on new lad's needs leading straight to a reappraisal of men magazines and to the releasing of ‘Loaded', the first men's magazine of the new generation. Exit Playboy or Newlook whose “sex pics first mantra” had outlived its usefulness. Thus the breakthrough of that new press family within such a short period stands out as a genuine marketing success which has perfectly tackled the shortcomings of the press for men. This one is actually a consequence of the evolution of men's image in the society which has directly created a virgin market but with an extraordinary potential. Men no longer want to be considered as voyeur, and just want to be cuddled by such a press family as women are. They craved for being the single topic of a magazine! This is why we can talk about a certain narcissistic press. Yet, is it right to grapple with the press market as any other market? Our researches and the common sense tend to disapprove of this. The press universe and particularly the press for males is indeed utterly specific about that, added to the traditional marketing variables, psychological and sociological variables have to be introduced. A tall order indeed!
