Maxim
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Changing Reader and Market Perception for Maxim Media

The brand had a problem. It had become a punchline.

Maxim owned the late 90s. Massive circulation, premium advertisers, genuine cultural weight. Then the culture moved and Maxim didn't. By the mid-2010s the brand was synonymous with a version of masculinity nobody wanted to claim. Luxury advertisers left. Readers aged out or checked out.

The assignment: make it mean something again.

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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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