MEDIA: Esquire ed signals change

Currently deputy editor of stablemate Harpers & Qu-een, Tiffin takes over from Peter Howarth next month.

Although tightlipped about specific changes, Tiffin said he wanted PROs to continue to play a key role.

'There will be changes but it will stay as a smart, sharp read. I will always be open to ideas and approaches (from PROs),' he said.

Duncan Edwards, managing director of Esquire's publisher, the National Magazine Company, said: 'If anything, our strategy will be to make it even more markedly and openly different from the prevailing men's magazine market.'

Tiffin will continue How-arth's strategy of pushing Esquire's editorial in a different direction from FHM and Loaded. He said: 'Esquire is in great shape as the grown-up read for men. I will be looking at all areas of life that men really care about.' He added that this could include more pieces on health and fitness,'if I feel they fall into that category.'

The decision to put predominantly men, rather than scantily-clad women, on the cover of Esquire was met with a 39 per cent drop in year-on-year sales from 100,000 to 61,000 (PRWeek, 6 April 2001).

Howarth insisted at the time that the magazine had retained the advertisers it wanted, despite shedding readers. Esquire has held its own, recording a circulation figure of 62,000 at the last ABCs.

Howarth will continue to be a consultant with Esquire. Tiffin was appointed deputy editor of Harpers last year. Before that, he spent ten years on Conde Nast's two GQ brands, rising to chief sub-editor of GQ in 1994 and editor of spin-off GQ Active in 1998. Harpers and Esquire are both part of NatMags' Luxury Publishing Group.