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Conde Nast Launches Cargo: New Men’s Magazine

Move over GQ, there is competition on the block.Condé Nast introduced its latest men’s magazine,Cargo, designed to assist men with all their shopping needs.

Magaziesofamerica.com calls it “Themen’s magazine that’s all about the stuff he wants to buy–clothes,cars, electronics, gadgets and more.” With its premiere issuecurrently on newsstands, Cargo is the ideal publication for the manwho doesn’t like to research the current fashion trends orlatest electronic gadgets. The Cargoman would rather pick up themagazine and turn the pages to find detailed information aboutwhat’s hot and what’s not.

Cargo understands the difference in attitudethat men and women have towards shopping. Most men do not enjoyshopping excursions the way that so many women do or to the extentthat women do.

“Men do like to buy things. They justlike more information than women,” said Alan Katz, publisherand Cargo is full of information. In fact, nearly half of themagazine’s editorial content focuses on fashion.

When you open Cargo, the difference between itand similar men’s magazines like GQ or Details, is instantlyrecognized. While GQ and Details cater to an older moreconservative audience, Cargo magazine’s target audience is 25to 45 year-old men.

“Cargo seems to appeal to a wideraudience because it focuses on technology and fashion whereasDetails has a smaller audience that seems to resemble the likes ofGQ,” says Kevin Madden, a marketing major from Chicago.Madden believes that guys are usually intrigued by eithertechnology or fashion and “Cargo provides the male readerwith an update on what’s hot and what’s not in both ofthose arenas.”

The male equivalent to fellow CondéNast publication Lucky magazine, Cargo also features stickers thatallow readers to bookmark products that they like and may beplanning to purchase.

Many industry experts have been monitoring thesuccess of Cargo. According to Associated Press writer AnneD’Innocenzio “Cargo is considered the biggest launchever for a men’s magazine, based on the 99 pages ofadvertising in the premiere issue.”

Many of the stores included in the premiereissue have reported an increase in the sale of featured products.D’Innocenzio cites major department stores likeLord &Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue as stores which have experiencedsuccess based on affiliation with Cargo. No one knows whether Cargowill have staying power in the newly competitive men’sfashion magazine market but Madden believes, “Men will readCargo and be influenced to buy something new.”

 

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