MensXpert.com, online magazine for Indian men, launched

The site will feature locally relevant content in a magazine format and target urban men in the age group of 20-36 years

Xpert Media Technology has launched www.mensxpert.com, which it claims is the first free online magazine for Indian men. The site, still in beta, will cater to urban males in the age group of 20-36 years.

The site, which will be updated daily, provides fashion tips, dating advice, movie reviews, and health and fitness tips. Speaking to agencyfaqs!, the company’s founder and chief executive officer, Ankur Bhatia, says, “In India, it is a kind of taboo for men to pick up magazines for them, which show a lot of nudity. Most of the men’s magazines in India adapt international content. We felt that the time was right to launch an online magazine with content that is relevant to Indian men.”

According to IAMAI, “young men” (below 35 years) constitute 33 per cent of the 32 million active Internet users in India. Despite being a large market, there is a lack of websites that cater specifically to this segment, though there are many portals and communities catering to Indian women.

Bhatia says that besides content from its own editorial team, MensXpert.com will tie up with print magazines for content. In terms of local content, Bhatia gives the example of a section called Pick Up, which will be launched soon, which will offer men tips on how to approach women in the Indian context.

While the site is currently targeted at urban men, it will eventually expand to cater to a larger audience and a wider age group. Bhatia says the company plans to launch an Indian version of the site a year down the line, and in other Indian languages, further down the line.

In terms of interactivity, the site has user generated voting sections such as 51 Most Influential Men on the Planet and Hot 101 – Planet’s Sexiest Women. Apart from this, the site has more “regular” men’s content such as a large library of women’s images.

MensXpert.com will be open to advertisers, and the company has already signed on two unnamed advertisers. The site is experimenting with the online advertising format. “We wanted the site to look like a magazine because our research shows that advertisers prefer that format to banner advertising, which is usually overlooked. Also, it is difficult for them to implement their print and outdoor campaigns online,” explains Bhatia. The site features magazine style navigation, where visitors can turn virtual pages to see the stories. Advertising space has been created in the shape of a page here and there, just like in a magazine.

Advertising will not be the site’s only business model, though. Bhatia says the company plans to launch an online shopping mall for men, so that “users can buy the stuff they read about”.

To promote MensXpert.com, the company is rolling out an eight day city tour, apart from online ads. It will follow with a TV commercial in a month or two, and a print and OOH campaign as well. While no creative agency has been appointed yet, creative inputs are being provided by Satbir Singh, CEO of Euro RSCG India, who is also on the panel of the company.

Interestingly, Bhatia comes from a print magazine background. He was earlier the head of marketing and communications at the Media TransAsia Group, which publishes magazines such as Maxim and Travel+Leisure. On crossing the digital divide, he says, “You see the signs of things to come. Many magazines in the US are either closing down or running at a loss. We didn’t want to start off in a segment which is going down. Besides, the reach online is much more than a lifestyle magazine can get.”