Playboy Philippines nearing Launch
As April draws near, details are finally starting to clear up regarding Playboy Philippines’ launch.
Playboy Magazine Philippine Edition is scheduled to be launched April 2 at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.
Dolor boasts of his contributors. “I have five or six Palanca Awardees as contributors,†he says, without divulging his prize-winning contributors or the articles in the first issue next month.
In the Philippines, “being daring doesn’t dictate the success of men’s magazines in the Philippines,†notes adverting and marketing specialist Ed Estrada of Image Dimensions.
If there’s one thing I learned about marketing magazines, it’s that determining your target market counts for around 10% of your success. Reaching them counts for the other 90%. Convincing your advertisers that such a market exists? Well, you’ll need the help of time at the newsstands, third party surveys, and audit results for that.
Judging by the initial statements of the people behind Playboy Philippines, I can see a rough year ahead for the title.
Expectations
Playboy is known for articles and nudity. While it was mentioned that they have “5-6 palanca awardees” as contributors, this will only benefit the monthly purchasers (those who buy magazines regardless of who’s on the cover). This will not bode well for those who expect to see skin. This is after all, the Playboy brand. While I have no doubt the magazine will have good writers, could they really be that good to warrant a monthly purchase?
Think about it, if you have so much faith in your editorial, and you’re not going to show any skin anyway, why the need to get the brand in the first place?
Availability
In my recent post, I raised some issues regarding distribution of the title. No doubt, the first few months will pose an uphill challenge for this startup.
If by any chance, National Bookstore does agree to carry Playboy, they do not issue purchase orders for any title until they see the actual printed magazine. Turnaround would take more than a month. Hence, don’t expect to see the title at NBS for the first month at least (If not, at all).
Unlike FMCGs, magazine distribution is also a completely different animal. Since most dealers would rather carry on a consignment basis, how fast will a startup be able to cope with the distribution roadblocks? Imagine selling out 10 issues on your first day, but replenishment to take around 10. Before you know it, the month is over.
Timing
April is one of the worst months to launch a title.
- Advertising budgets are approved/done in the 3rd or 4th quarter of the year.
- Advertisers are always reluctant to place in new titles until they see the actual magazine. Given the 2 month lead time required to place in magazines, ads should only trickle in around the June or July issue (if they’re lucky).
Positioning
In the Philippines, “being daring doesn’t dictate the success of men’s magazines in the Philippines,†notes adverting and marketing specialist Ed Estrada of Image Dimensions.
As much as people would like to believe this, I’m sorry, but it isn’t true. When Maxim Philippines launched, they envisioned the magazine to have to target the “young bucks” (or whatever else name they give to virtually non-existent markets). With this, they appointed Vanni de Sequerra as Editor-in-chief of the magazine (also an award winning writer mind you) to bring the magazine to the promised land. I’m no expert writer or critic, but it isn’t hard to see that he simply did not connect with his target market.
Though the magazine has yet to hit the newsstands, based on their initial press releases, they’re also trying to take the road that Maxim took. I can confidently say that this magazine will attract C market readers the most. The magazine might fall into the Rogue and Manifesto category though.
The “Women” and Cover
I’ve always been biased against Manual and UNO (Now I try not to since I lose credibility as a magazine blogger) when I was still working in Summit, but one thing they’ve had going for them are their cover identities — you can immediately identify their magazines 6 feet away. Styling and lighting are always consistent.
Since rumors of Playboy started circulating, I’ve always wondered what they plan on doing at the newsstands. Placing a black bellyband to make the potential buyer curious maybe? I wouldn’t be surprised if they did this (nor would I be surprised if they are required to do it).
One thing I expect to see are more of the same faces. After all, how many sale-able cover worthy women are there in the country? Though I’m sure Playboy would like to form their own cover identity and make it all classy looking, bottom line is the cover still has to sell.
My guesses based on the market they say they want to tap?
- Celine Lopez (just effin’ kidding)
- Ehra Madrigal (my original guess)
- Teresa Herrera
- Cristina Garcia
- Nancy Castiglione
- Some Spanish babe who belongs to an old rich family (There are a lot out there)
Articles over Women?
I’m still a bit skeptical as to how they plan to do this, as the people involved have no prior experience in magazines at all. Read through this recent article and you’ll know what I mean. They did not even announce the cover price at all.
Another comment I’d like to make is that award winning writers don’t automatically translate to sales at all. How about generalizations about women not being able to move magazines? My answer to this is another question - all over the world, how come even gadget magazines have women on the cover?
The male magazine market is a very competitive arena. Though most times, it turns into a race on who can get a certain actress or model to pose for them first, there are other avenues one can take to gain a significant market share. These other avenues are (I’m sorry), women, women, and more women. I just think that it’s the women who bring in the readers, and the articles that keep the loyal customers.
Whether it can be done the other way around — has yet to be seen.
I have some misgivings about Playboy Philippines’ launching. With most readers loyal to FHM, I doubt if it will sell.
Well, we can’t really say until it comes out. I myself will buy the first issue just to find out if it’s worth the hype.
On the other hand, many have tried and failed.
I agree with your comment! If no nudity, why get the Playboy brand? (I hope you don’t me linking to your blog post from http://whatsikat.com)
Paolo - More links the better
Anyway, we’re just a few days away from launch. I’m itching to get a copy.
make sure it is not like playboy indonesia……
From what I heard, Precious Lara Quigaman is the cover girl for the initial issue.
I heard on the radio this morning that it’s Priscilla Mereilles. I don’t want to make any more guesses until the issue comes out
saw the cover in one of the blogs, really disappointing….the cover does not jump at the reader (if you know what I mean), doesn’t even look classy, honestly the cover does not too far from that shortlived mag called playhouse, not too confident the inside pages are any better. Having a crew with no magazine experience shows, good luck folks!
don,
I completely agree. Will try to acquire a copy today or tomorrow. Will give a FULL review.
can i be one of your models hahaha
please feature some of our transexual filipino people
they’ll find it tremendously exciting
please don’t use Photoshop, it kills the natural beauty..
how can i buy this issue. my family friend wants a copy of the playboy philippines.
go playboy i will surely get the first issue of it and as long as it mean what they say goodby fhm and helllllllllllooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww playboy.
obviously this mag will be the talk of the town….. everybody will be curious and excited to see sexy babes on the cover , who’s and what’s in the inside. OMG! would somebody really go nude, like frontal nudity? *winks* hope there’s no camera trick on the photos. No retoke please!! :p
I used to buy FHM during the first 2 years when it had both 1) quality women and 2) it did show full frontal nudity. But since 2005, it had became tame and so nawalan na ako ng gana. If this is supposed to be playboy, then I expect a whole lot more. Something which would be of a challenge with the fickle-minded catholic church around. I’ll buy the first issue only to see if it could live up to my expectations pero kung flop, then this mag is as good as dead.
Bad Cover - looks like Priscilla’s head was pasted on her body and what’s up with the food tray? LOUSY!
Bad Printing - pictures are just too dark. especially the Fashion pages. i pity Paolo Pineda the photographer. his shots are wasted.
SUPER BAD LAYOUTING - as i’ve stated on other blogs, it’s as if the graphic designer of UNO had hit his head and made an even worse layouting scheme than UNO. Put another international Playboy beside it and it looks like it was a Playhouse not a Playboy.
Boring Articles - nobody wants to see an old fart dance!
Overrated Nude Shots - just a montage of past Filipina playmates??? are Beting Dolor (the editor in chief) & the geriatric gang underestimating their readers? people want NEW stuff. not rehashed pics of washed up playmates. we can get that from the net. Hello! Earth to Beting! Get with the times grandpa! and it’s so obvious that the shots of WWE Diva Maria are bitin! couldn’t afford the whole set of pics? i’m sure everyone will notice how abruptly the magazine ends with that one shot of Maria. another piece of evidence that newspaper men do not make good visual men and do not make good magazine men. Beting, it’s called visual flow. you may want to ask your attendees at your old folks home what it is. they probably know how to run a magazine better than you.
overall rating - Playboy Philippines should not be priced at P199 but should instead be given free as a pamphlet on bad taste and how not to do a magazine. please stop wasting millions of money Mr. Ku (financier of Playboy). just get rid of your team. You’ll never get to own the Playboy Casino at this rate (which is what you really care about anyway). You just have around 10 to 12 million in your pocket (which is not even enough to pay for the annual franchise fee of Playboy, yes we know). so just give up and spare these Palanca award winners the shame of having to go back to their freelance jobs and telling their friends na… “ganun talaga, hindi natuloy.” The only saving grace of your team is Cecile (ad sales). The only solution is if she can give you AT LEAST 30 ads a month, and maybe, just maybe you can actually survive for a year.
so good luck.
hi,
i think it’s fine that some people make a transition from newspapers to magazines. however, you still need someone there who has magazine experience. or to some extent, they should have consulted someone who has business experience with launching and maintaining a magazine.
oh well, let’s wait for the second issue.