Extending its online
entertainment franchise, Break Media has launched MadeMan.com, a lifestyle guide for its core audience of young guys. The site is the latest in a string of irreverent, video-centric properties
launched by Break, including All Left Turns, Cage Potato, Chickipedia, Holy Taco and Screen Junkies.
"The goal is to provide guys some sort of useful knowledge about what's going on
and what to do," said Break CEO Keith Richman, who expects the site's audience to ramp up quickly via cross-promotion from the company's existing network of sites, which drew 20 million visitors in
May. Break says 100,000 users have already signed up for the MadeMen newsletter, and boasts that the site will attract an audience of 1 million within 30 days.
What will they find? A test version
of the site included a series of how-to articles such as "How To Cook On A Car Engine," "How To Get Out of A Speeding Ticket" and "5 Things Girls Wish You Knew" under category headings like
entertainment, gadgets, gear, grub and health. There is also a general helping of video content and starlet photo galleries.
Sound like something you might see in magazines like Maxim or
on a cable network like Spike? Well, that may be because the editorial material is produced by ex-staffers at those and other guy-focused media outlets including Managing Editor B.J. Fleming, formerly
of Spike.com.
Richman said Break has lined up charter advertisers for MadeMan, but declined to name any on Friday. After cutting back from 86 to 75 employees last October as the recession began
to bite, Break is back up to a staff of 96.
While acknowledging that economic pressures remain, Richman said the company's ability to meet advertiser demands for things like custom ad executions
and original video production has helped it weather the downturn. "We might have to give more value," said Richman, "but we've positioned ourselves really well and built up a strong infrastructure."