As the New York Times said " it chose a tactic favored by the Lindsay Lohans of the world: flash a little skin." What better way to increase revenue than show skin?
At first I thought wow, even a sports magazine which a high line of creditability is resorting to attracting readers through good looking naked people. Than as I read further, I actually found their angle on nudity unique. Not only did they photograph beautiful young athletes, but also very large sumo athletes. Taking it further I thought it was a great approach to shoot up close, detailed, visual, disturbing injury images.
If nudity does not draw someone in, knowing they can see one of there favorite athletes injury in depth will.
And it worked! Revenues were higher that October than ESPN has ever seen.
I love reading about new ideas and techniques print media are using to attract users, and I really think this was a fresh way to take a chance with nudity.
Wow. That's really cool. I totaly agree that nudity is they way to go if you want to advertise. If I walk through a pile of magazines in a store and would see a nude athlete on the front cover that would have my attention right a way. I think its because it's something different. It's very showy/flashy. And even if its a sumo wrestler, it would be a big attention catcher.
ReplyDeleteSkin sells. Why else would prostitution be the world's oldest profession? I think it's great though that they aren't just more naked people, but they actually have a reason for the nudity besides selling magazines.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the injuries idea is great too, because gore sells almost as much as nudity, and if you have seen any horror movies with an R rating, you know as well as I do that nudity usually sells with the gore.
Go ESPN Magazine!
This is a very interesting approach that ESPN is taking. The "nudity" idea is working and the numbers prove it. As long as it doesn't get to raunchy and turn into a magazine such as Maxim, I believe that this is a good idea. I think the idea about the injuries is a great one as well.
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