One of the fastest-growing men's magazines in the world, FHM, began its life in 1985 as a UK special publication called For Him. Originally distributed as a fashion trade product, For Him moved to newsstands as a quarterly in the spring of 1987, sporting a circulation of 60,000. After another UK men's magazine called Loaded launched to great success, For Him changed its editorial approach to compete with the expanding men's lifestyle market; it eventually went monthly and changed its name to FHM in 1994. The reinvented magazine now aimed at younger men, combined various elements of fashion, sex, health, humor, entertainment, and technology. The formula worked: in just five years, its circulation jumped to 750,000.

Since then, the magazine has expanded internationally at a dazzling rate. The U.S. edition of FHM was launched in February 2000. As of July 2004, FHM publishes 27 different versions 10 times a year in countries such as Russia, Norway, Denmark, Romania, Australia, Estonia, New Zealand, France, Lithuania, Indonesia, Taiwan, Portugal, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, and Singapore.

The U.S. version debuted under the direction of then editor-in-chief Ed Needham, who had also helmed the UK edition. "FHM will present the facts, provoke the mind, arouse the senses, and never impose or dictate to the reader," Needham said at the time of the U.S. launch. "If men can do it, read it, buy it, think about it, or spend their money on it-they will find it in FHM. We created our publication based on three guiding principles. Everything in the magazine must be one or more of the following: Funny, Sexy, Useful."

Although FHM relies heavily on the appeal of photographs of scantily clad women, unlike other men's magazines FHM exercises some restraint, refusing to bare all. Thus, FHM is typically stocked in the lifestyle rather than adult section. Inevitably, FHM is compared to Maxim, which is another young men's magazine that began in the UK and successfully crossed the Atlantic to become a hit in the United States. Maxim boasts a wider circulation, but FHM continues its healthy growth. In 2006, FHM launched a monthly digital subscription version that replicates the print edition page for page, with hyperlink-enhancements that take full advantage of digital technology.

This Mini Cooper, specially painted to advertise FHM in South Africa, perfectly reflects the magazine's irreverent humor and its obsession with female anatomy.

FHM aims to cover all aspects of a man's life, including information and advice on health, fitness, personal style, women, relationships, and technology. Articles aim for the amusing and irreverent, but are also informative as well as entertaining. Former editor Needham described it as a magazine to read "on the subway, at halftime, during the commercials, or while your girlfriend applies her lipstick." Indeed, FHM is designed as a casual read for "regular guys" rather than trying to be a serious manual for sophisticates. As the motto goes, FHM provides "Everything a guy could want."

FHM's subject matter centers on beautiful women, cool games and gadgets, humorous situations, and plenty of advice on matters of style, money, and sex. The magazine's cover usually depicts an alluring, half-naked young woman-frequently a celebrity-in a provocative pose. FHM comes wrapped in high-quality glossy paper and the photography, particularly important in such a magazine, is top-notch. In addition to the numerous photo shoots of attractive females, the magazine ranges over a wide variety of topics, including profiles of sports and movie stars, reviews of books, music, movies, music, and high-tech toys, as well as a sprinkling of gossip and news on topics of popular culture. Fashion, the subject that started it all, plays a lesser but constant role.

Written March 12, 2006 exclusively for MagsDirect.com. All right reserved.

Subscribe to FHM | Information about popular magazines | Magazine Subscriptions