Besides Slate, there are few online men’s magazines, but Dennis Publishing, the British publisher of Maxim, Men’s Fitness and other lifestyle titles, launched Monkey in November, which Dennis calls “the world’s first weekly digital men’s magazine.” Completely ad-supported, the publication is sent free to anyone who registers.
Although the content of the magazine is similar to print publications with its lifestyle focus, it differs with the preponderance of video content. “There’s all sorts of videos, from reviews of cars to film trailers to game trailers and sports videos,” said reviews editor Leon Poultney. “There’s less editorial and it’s very visually driven, with video and flash elements. We took what you find in a men’s lifestyle magazine and made it very interactive. We’re doing things that regular print magazines couldn’t do.”
The magazine is being offered for free, “because it doesn’t make sense to charge when the info is available free on the Net,” said Don Amaechi, an account manager. With no subscriber revenue, the magazine is reliant on advertising and it’s successfully selling ads for films and entertainment, clothing, accessories, insurance, tech gadgets, energy drinks and toys, Amaechi noted.
Rich media ads with embedded video are running for the products. They combine pre-recorded TV ads embedded into the page with surrounding content Monkey produces, such as logos created with Flash animation. For an energy drink, “We took an image of the bottle and got bubbles moving around the page,” Amaechi said. He said the ads include “videos at the center of the page that make it more engaging for the user.”
Ads on a digital magazine have benefits over print advertising, including a longer life (after an ad runs in a weekly edition of Monkey it is archived for subsequent viewing); and accurate metrics (ABC circulation figures report over 200,000 views a week, “and if they don’t get that we can rerun the ad,” Amaechi said).
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More