Mens Magazine - Playboy

 Playboy has become one of the most iconic brands internationally starting from it's first magazine funded by the founder Hugh Hefner in 1953, featuring icon Marilyn Monroe. The magazine labels itself as a gentleman's lifestyle magazine and features nude pictorials from celebrities like; Kim Kardashian, Anna Nicole Smith and most recently Kate Moss. It has become a global brand and is now on every medium, some countries feature their own editions of the magazine but it is the American edition that has become the statement piece for iconography. The magazine was the starting point for the company which has now gone onto becoming one of the biggest brands, selling makeup, perfumes and clothes to the public. To add to the list of achievements that the company has made, various reality shows have been filmed in the notorious Playboy mansion - most famously Girls Next Door which centred around the lives of Hef's three girlfriends Holly Madison, Kendra Wilkinson and Bridget Marquardt. Hugh Hefner is the editor of the American edition but also founder of the company, he has gone onto becoming a celebrity in his own right from his job title but also scandals involving women and three girlfriends. 

The logo is the main identifier of the magazine and company and they also use a bunny as the trademark to be put on products which is recognisable to the public. The slogan of the magazine is 'Entertainment for men' which specifically states its primary audience of men, it also suggests that the magazine is an entertainment magazine. The cover lines again are very subject specific to the magazine and are very male orientated - for example 'The music and sex issue' & 'Aubrey O'Day breaks free of Danity Kane (and her clothes)'. The cover lines also centre around the main image to bring total emphasis to the body of the models, the typography is very clear and is multi coloured on certain issues but they are very bold and clear colours like reds and blacks. The main cover line is also very specific to the magazine - being 'Risque and famous sexiest celebrities of the year' - suggesting that the audience was allowed to vote their opinion of the sexiest celebrity. The slogan above the masthead - 'The Sex and Music Issue' suggests it has more importance as it is a themed issue which relates to the interviews and music theme running throughout - but also that cover girl Aubrey O'Day is a singer. The rule of thirds is seen in this magazine as it is separated into thirds but in this case the writing surrounds the main image to not derive attention away from the cover girl - her head overlaps the logo which again makes the eyes face the audience to engage them. Playboys main focus is to use curvy girls as apposed to other magazines (like women's magazines) that use emaciated models to showcase the magazine or products in the magazine.