Maxim magazine has announced an all new look and positioning effective with the March 2015 issue. The once hyper-successful “lads magazine” has experienced a sharp decline in circulation recently, down 33% in the first half of 2014. The magazine, which was launched in 1995 reached a zenith of 2 million circulation.

The redesigned magazine targets an older, more affluent audience to match the magazine’s core readership, which has seen its average age increase by 10 years over the past decade. “Our guy has grown up,” said publisher Kevin Martinez. “He’s 33, starting to make money and looking at his life differently, ” according to an article in Ad Week. 

Apparently, the less raunchy approach to both the covers and the interior content, has resulted in a success with advertisers.  The March issue is up 30 pages-a 289 percent increase-from a year ago.  High-end brands like Prada, Armani, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Bloomingdale’s, have bought ads aimed at the older, more sophisticated male target.

The new cover approach steers clear of any cleavage or bikinis, and is a “less is more” approach.  See new cover and 2014 covers below.