According to Aun Koh, business development manager of Panpac Lifestyle Magazines, the magazine had originally been scheduled to launch in July, but the company held back because of the outbreak of Sars in Singapore.
Koh said newsstand sales were going very well, "because I think this is the kind of magazine every guy wants to read".
The 136-page annual claims a circulation of 55,000 in Singapore and retails for S$7.5 (about US$4.3). The main advertisers in the magazine are Baron's Strong Brew, Hyundai and Chivas. Baron's also opted for creative executions specially designed for the swimsuit edition - in addition to its trademark, blue-collar, men-at-work ads, Baron's also had 'fashion shoot' ads, featuring models in bikinis holding cans or bottles of Baron's.
Koh, previously the publisher of the now-defunct East Magazine, negotiated the Sports Illustrated licence with Time Inc late last year.
Panpac will pay a percentage of sales as royalties to Time Inc. In return, Time agreed it would not distribute the US swimsuit edition in Singapore.
Editorial content of the US and Singapore editions is identical, as Sports Illustrated does not allow localised content in any of its 19 international editions.
According to Koh, agencies have already approached Panpac about media buys for next year. The Singapore edition is currently just under half the size of the US edition.