FHM - Essential Reading (FHM)

Member Name: Tcraze84

Product:	FHM
Date:	05/02/01 (189 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Top features, sexy girls, advice and free stuff - all for £3!

Disadvantages: Possibly too many advertisements; not that many people read the fashion pages either, do they?

FHM is undoubtedly the no.1 men's lifestyle magazine on sale in the UK today.

Priced at a reasonable £3.00,and published by EMAP, the magazine scours every aspect of a youthful man's life each month, every time in a new way; whether it be informing, shocking, funny or just plain ridiculuous.

It's rise to the top has been duly recognised and two popular issues expanded and given their own "spin-off" sister magazines, FHM Bionic and FHM Collections, both of which focus on health/fitness and fashion respectively. The original though, rolls all these subjects together in a 200+ page bundle every month.

Now, surprisingly, in it's 133rd issue, FHM leads the field in the so-called magazine of "lad's mags", which includes, as it's rivals; Loaded, Maxim, Front, Sky and numerous others; all essentially dealing with the same general topics.

Aimed at a primarily 16-35 age range of young men, FHM has also proved popular with their girlfriends - after all, what better way to understand their partner by reading the same "revision" material?

However, to most younger readers, at aged around 14, FHM always proved to be one of those magazines which made you concerned whether the shop assistant would actually sell you; most younger adolescents believe the magazine is full of nude girls, drug advice and various other risque material.

Ok, so some of the content could be considered slightly risque, but generally, the magazine is more educational than anything else.

Each month, the FHM gang throw at their readers all sorts of varying content - jokes, letters, interviews (with both men and women celebrities), fashion, problem pages, "how to.." guides, and much more besides.

However, the major selling point of FHM is clearly the star interviews with sexy female celebrities, ranging from singers, actors, television presenters - basically anyone young, attrac
tive and in the public eye. Recent interviewees include Martine McCutcheon, the girls of S Club 7, Carmen Electra and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The crew certainly have taste, then.

Something that happens almost traditionally
now, is the FHM "100 Sexiest Women In The World" supplement. Annually, each reader is invited to vote for their top ten girls (of which there are no limit to choose - it could be your girlfriend at number one; but don't expect her to get in!). Then, the most popular votes are compiled and thrown in as a bonus booklet, counting down 100 to 1, and scanning the best there is, from Hannah Spearitt, right down to this year's winner, Jennifer Lopez.

Another (almost follow-up) extra is the ubitiquous FHM calendar, given away free each December issue for the following year. Usually published in A3 paper size, this usually focuses on the high-scorers in the Top 100 poll and could easily demand a £10 fee if sold separately.

FHM is certainly a class above such magazines as Loaded, which is slightly more immature, whereas FHM takes the best of both worlds and gives them to you for a few quid each issue. Bargain.

Summary: