Maxim plans own-brand vitamin pills

Dennis Publishing’s Maxim magazine is planning to launch branded vitamins.

The magazine is in talks with pharmaceutical companies in the US to develop the vitamins. The products are expected to launch in the UK, following the US launch. No timescale has been set.

The vitamins – which, the company will claim, help cure hangovers and thinning hair – will be Maxim’s first non-magazine brand extension. Maxim Fashion, a spin-off title, was launched in September.

Rival company National Magazine Company (NatMags) already produces Cosmopolitan-branded vitamins targeting women, which are manufactured by Vitabiotics. NatMags publishes Maxim rival Esquire.

The circulation of men’s magazines has been hit hard, according to the July to December 2001 Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures. Maxim is down 15.8 per cent year on year and 9.3 per cent period on period, with a circulation of 276,640.

Dennis Publishing is not planning to follow Loaded’s example by launching Maxim-branded underwear and toiletries.