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Strategy Refocus of the brand to 27-year-old "tempered hedonists"

Verdict: 3 out of 5

One question being asked in the wake of the ABCs is why are lad's monthlies down so much? Media consumption patterns and the growth of digital are obviously having some effect on this group, but it can't be the whole story. It's a universal truth that if you're not keeping pace with your audience and offering something relevant to them, they will move elsewhere.

Despite minor product tinkering in the men's popular market over the past few years, the sector as a whole is still very homogenous. There are subtle differences in style and tone, but not enough to offer true differentiation. With this in mind, FHM, the Alpha Male of the popular market, is about to undergo a "refresh" from the October issue.

Recognising that younger "players" have defected to the weeklies, FHM will now concentrate on targeting slightly older "tempered hedonists", helping them reassert their male identity, create a sense of belonging and inject a dose of realism into the title. The refresh will aim to retain the funny and sexy brand values, but focus on being more useful.

It is heartening to see the market leader innovating and attempting to move the game on.

For too long, the monthlies have attempted to fend off the rise of the weeklies by emulating them. We need segmentation and differentiation in the market, not anodyne conformity.

Whether the refresh has gone far enough will become apparent over the next few months.

As for advertising, we will continue to use the title - at an agreeable rate. Young men are notoriously difficult to reach and even with the circulation decline, FHM still sells a hefty 421,000 copies each month. The FHM brand is a behemoth, existing successfully on a number of platforms. The magazine version may be experiencing difficulties, but it is hoped that this refresh will finally mean the sector has started to move on. - Review by Nik Vyas, Group press director, ZenithOptimedia.