Contempo Media’s The Book For Men has debuted its first-ever cover advertiser.

The twice-yearly men’s fashion and lifestyle guide (a sister publication of the bi-monthly magazine Sharp) has been publishing for nearly a decade with a reported circulation of 50,000 in Canada.

For the most recent issue, media agency Havas Media brokered a deal that put luxury brand Givenchy’s new fragrance, Gentleman Givenchy, on the back cover.

While most fashion and lifestyle magazines sell their back as premium inventory, the publication’s director of sales Kyle Bodnarchuk said his book’s design was originally based on Esquire’s Big Black Book (which launched in 2006), emulating  its sleek and minimalist look. He said there was never an explicit moratorium on cover advertisers at The Book For Men, but it was waiting for the right opportunity.

“It was certainly a design element for us,” Bodnarchuk told MiC, saying the magazine has worked hard to establish a consistent look of minimal colours and bold type across the brand, which typically didn’t favour advertiser content.

However, Bodnarchuk said brands have repeatedly expressed interest in the cover spots. Even Esquire‘s publication changed its policy, with Dior now one of the most frequent advertisers on its back.

Cover advertisements will be part in The Book for Men’s sales efforts from now on, Bodnarchuk said. “As we see so much movement toward digital and social, we still find luxury brands really value the environment that they advertise in, and having something tangible that their brand and their product will be showcased on creates a lot of interest,” he said.