Case Study
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Changing Reader and Market Perception for Maxim Media

Maxim emerged in the late 1990s as a cultural force in men's lifestyle publishing, commanding significant market influence and premium advertising relationships.

However, by the mid-2010s, public perception had shifted dramatically—the brand was viewed as outdated and lowbrow, causing luxury advertisers to distance themselves while readers questioned its cultural relevance.

This created an urgent need for perception transformation: repositioning Maxim as a forward-thinking, culturally sophisticated brand that could attract premium partnerships while rebuilding credibility with a discerning, digitally-native audience.

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Challenge

Transform reader and advertiser perception of a brand that had lost its editorial direction and market positioning.

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Objective

Shift editorial tone toward pop culture sophistication and luxury advertising appeal to attract premium brand partnerships.

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Approach

Comprehensive brand repositioning through visual moodboarding and editorial tone development.

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Typography
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Color
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Imagery
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A collage of black-and-white photographs of a woman with dark hair, in various poses, and a stack of instant photographs of her sitting on the floor, wearing a strapless dress, in different indoor settings. Magazine design by Matthew Lenning
Collage of black and white fashion photographs of women. The main photo features a woman standing in a checkered coat and tailored trousers. A smaller photo shows a woman sitting on a bed in a hotel room with crossed legs in an off-shoulder dress. Th
Collage of black and white photographs featuring a man with dreadlocks wearing a checkered coat, a woman with wavy hair, and a close-up of a woman's eyes with long lashes. There are also handwritten notes and Polaroid pictures in the background. Maga
A collage of black and white images including a man with dreadlocks in a checkered coat, a woman with dark wavy hair, a close-up of a woman's eye, and a combination of cash and a vintage black wallet. Magazine design by Matthew Lenning
Collage of images featuring a male model in stylish clothing, a woman in an outdoor setting, and a pile of cash with a black money clip. Magazine design by Matthew Lenning

MAXIM: KEY TAKEAWAY

From Powerhouse to Punchline
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Advertisers fled and readers questioned relevance—time for radical repositioning

From this powerhouse era to cultural irrelevance: Maxim's journey illustrates how quickly brand perception can shift in publishing.

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"Building digital design capabilities while continuously refining cross-platform brand strategy"

A black and white photo of a singer performing on stage, crowd reaching out, large text overlay saying 'The Fucked & The Fury' and a quote by Jenny Eliscu.
A vintage metal cigarette case with the initials 'E.A.P.' on it, placed on top of folded dollar bills.
A black and white photograph of a person browsing through vinyl records in a store, with a focus on a record titled "Romantic Time" and a picture of a woman on its cover.
Illustration showing a man facing a line of women, all wearing different colored dresses, with one woman wearing a face mask. The man appears to be scanning or examining the women.

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