STILL BUYING NUTS, SETTING NEW RECORDS.
Phil Hilton
We went to the very edges of our market. We went for the youngest guys and the very oldest guys that could possibly buy it and we made a magazine they all liked. Fathers and sons could enjoy this. We wanted a product with enormous broad mainstream appeal.
TO SELL MORE COPIES, NUTS USED PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO OLDER MEN.
Phil Hilton
We found guys would go through this barrier, really in their late 20s when they settle down, they'd nest, they'd actually think about kids and suddenly they'd become very sensitive about death and about the sad things in life. It means something to them for the first time.
THE FIRST ISSUES FEATURED NICE HAPPY IMAGES THAT DID NOT SCARE OFF OLDER GUYS.
Phil Hilton
We were very consciously in a safer place than Zoo. So if they were gory, if they were swearing, we wouldn't be.
NUTS AND ZOO HAD LAUNCHED WITH THE SAME TEMPLATE OF SPORT, CARS AND CELEBRITY WOMEN. BUT ZOO FOUND STILL BUYING NUTS, SETTING NEW RECORDS. |
NUTS AND ZOO HAD LAUNCHED WITH THE SAME TEMPLATE OF SPORT, CARS AND CELEBRITY WOMEN. BUT ZOO FOUND ITSELF BEHIND IN SALES - AND HAD NOTHING TO LOSE BY TAKING RISKS. IGNORING THE MASS MARKET, ZOO WENT FOR NICHE BUYERS - YOUNG BRITISH MALES. PAUL MERRILL USED A KEY INSIGHT INTO THEIR PSYCHOLOGY TO ATTRACT THEM. TO TEST THEIR MACHISMO, YOUNG MEN LIKED TO LOOK AT SHOCKING IMAGES. |
Paul Merrill |
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Phil Hilton |
Eric Fuller
Paul Merrill |
ZOO HAD LAUNCHED WITH JUST A PAIR OF BREASTS, AND NUTS WITH NONE. BUT BY MAY 2004, PAUL MERRILL WAS RUNNING TEN TIMES AS MANY NIPPLE PHOTOS AS HIS RIVAL. |
ZOO MOCKED NUTS MODESTY. |
A SUMMIT MEETING WAS CALLED AT NUTS HQ.
ARMED WITH THE NEW RESEARCH, THE BOARDROOM BATTLELINES WERE DRAWN. SHOULD NUTS DITCH ITS "FATHER AND SON" FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICY, AND GO ON A NIPPLE OFFENSIVE? |