• by Larry Dobrow , May 7, 2004

The first inkling that Stuff does not like to be characterized as a "laddie mag" comes via one of its PR minions, who helpfully suggests referring to it as "a 'men's lifestyle magazine' or 'men's magazine' or 'magazine for guys,' or something along those lines." Then, minutes into a chat with General Manager Mark MacDonald and Associate Publisher Aric Webb, the description is refined even further: "it's a leading product-based pop culture magazine for guys."

So what's the problem with the "laddie" tag? "We think it's a complete misnomer," MacDonald says, without a hint of irritation in his voice. "We're about consumerism, and 'laddie' doesn't describe the service we provide."

However one wants to categorize Stuff, it's clear that the magazine has long since emerged from the shadow cast by elder Dennis Publishing sibling Maxim.

Over time, the differences between the two brands have become more pronounced--Stuff is gear-oriented, while Maxim sticks predominantly to lifestyle topics--which has helped Stuff to carve out its own niche in the marketplace. The magazine's event-centric marketing strategy has also earned it considerable plaudits, including a recent Ex award for best activation of an entertainment sponsorship (for a program coordinated on behalf of FILA at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans).

This isn't to say that Stuff hasn't faced the same challenges as many of its magazine peers. Its ad page count was basically flat in 2003 (745 pages versus 757 in 2002, according to Publishers Information Bureau), and has lagged somewhat in the first third of 2004 (the mag is 11 pages off last year's pace), although some of that is attributable to difficult year-on-year comparisons. But in a manic marketplace for laddie... er, men's lifestyle titles, Stuff has clearly distinguished itself.

It's done so by focusing on the stuff--both tangible products and intangible entertainment/lifestyle info--that its audience worships. "We think we're the most relevant magazine to the core interests of 20-something guys," MacDonald says. "We're a magazine called Stuff. The marketers we talk to are mostly trying to sell stuff. Our readers want to buy stuff. It all ties together."

As a result, just about every male-focused ad category has eagerly scarfed up pages in the magazine. Outside of gaming-only titles, Stuff boasts more video game ads than any other publicatio--and, in fact, has found itself intimately involved in launches by category leaders like Electronic Arts. "Gaming companies look to us to help them do Hollywood-type releases," Webb notes.

The reason the mag seems to work so well for marketers, MacDonald adds, can be traced back to its consumption-happy readership. They're young and single, and they spend the majority of their money on themselves. "They have to have things ahead of their buddies--they'll have a visceral reaction when a friend pulls out a new cell phone that they don't have," he explains. "Our job is to bring them up to date every month."

Other regular supporters include automotive, apparel/footwear, alcohol, tobacco, and consumer electronics companies. It's no surprise, then, when MacDonald identifies "getting deeper into those categories" as one of his primary goals for 2004; he's also working hard on Calvin Klein and a handful of additional auto manufacturers.

In the months ahead, look for Stuff to push forward with events similar to the FILA/Voodoo Music Festival program and the magazine's annual Casino Weekend in Las Vegas, which counts Phat Farm, PlayStation, and Stoli among its sponsors. "Out-of-magazine experiences are what clients want. It helps them rise above the clutter," Webb says.

Although MacDonald acknowledges that Stuff is regularly approached by production companies for TV projects, he won't commit to anything beyond entertaining whatever offers come his way. "There's no rush," he shrugs.