• by John Gaffney , May 31, 2002

Boy Book Riffs: They’re multiplying like boy bands. Boy books – you know Maxim, Controversy, Razor, FHM – are the hot area right now. And with a hot area you need to be concerned that the area doesn’t stray into the overcooked zone. Someone once described the internet business to me back there in the late 90s as “hypercompetition in an immature market.” Read: disaster waiting to happen. Is that the case with boy books? Don’t think so. There’s no way the market can support all the books currently scrapping for bucks in the category, but I think this is a strong niche that will play well for a while. Key factor here, as always, is content. If I’m a media buyer, I want to know why your boy book is different, and that difference will need to come from a new twist on the things boys like. Which judging from the boy books is: sex, sex, video games, flat stomachs, sex, music, sex, movies and sex........

Boy Band Riffs: Lance Bass of ‘N Sync being cleared to travel in space is not news. It is an Aceess Hollywood story. India and Pakistan have their fingers on the launch buttons, Tom Ridge issues more warnings than the robot from Lost in Space, and we’re supposed to think Lance Bass in orbit rates our attention. If I bought an ad that appeared anywhere in proximity to this story, I’d want to know why it got such prominent play........

More Agency Web Site Riffs: Got swamped with emails agreeing with the opinion expressed in my Friday, May 31, that ad agency websites by and large, suck. I also received a few dissenting opinions that took a chance and sent a link to an agency site they like. Not wanting to be seen as one of those negative unskilled journalists who only want to write about things like Boy Bands In Space, here’s one that’s very good. Business-to-business Marketing Communications out of Raleigh, NC looks clean, navigates smoothly, shows you why they’re good and gives you up front info on how to contact them. Check it for yourself.