How Muscle & Fitness Transformed from Print to Digital Powerhouse with 60-70% of Revenue Now Driven by Programmatic Advertising

About Muscle & Fitness

Muscle & Fitness is one of the most iconic names in fitness media, delivering expert workout advice, nutrition guidance, and lifestyle content to fitness enthusiasts worldwide. With decades of brand heritage built through their legendary print publication, the brand has successfully evolved into a digital-first powerhouse while maintaining the authority and trust that made them an industry leader.

About four to five years ago, Muscle & Fitness made the bold decision to sunset their print publication entirely, pivoting to an all-digital content strategy. This transformation required not just a shift in content distribution, but a complete reimagining of their revenue model — one where programmatic advertising would become a cornerstone of their business.

The Challenge: From Print Revenue to Digital Monetization

The transition from print to digital is never simple, especially for a legacy brand with established revenue streams. Muscle & Fitness faced the classic publisher's dilemma: how do you build robust digital advertising revenue without compromising the user experience that keeps readers engaged?

Like many publishers making this leap, the team needed a partner who could help them navigate the complexities of programmatic advertising while working seamlessly alongside their existing internal direct sales team. They needed sophisticated ad monetization, but they also needed someone who understood that subscription revenue remained a key part of their business model.

Building a Revenue Partnership That Actually Works

The partnership between Muscle & Fitness and Playwire was built on a straightforward value proposition: Playwire handles the programmatic heavy lifting while the internal sales team continues running direct campaigns. No territorial battles. No complicated handoffs. Just a seamless integration that maximizes every available impression.

Through bi-weekly strategy calls with their dedicated Partner Success team, Muscle & Fitness gained not just a monetization platform, but a strategic advisor. The collaboration ensures that when the direct sales team closes a deal, it gets prioritized appropriately — and when inventory isn't sold directly, programmatic demand fills in at optimal rates.