If diet and fitness titles were arranged in the book industry's equivalent of the food pyramid, then Arthur Agatston's 8.5 million-copy low-carb bible, The South Beach Diet (Rodale, Apr. 2003), and its two spinoffs—a hardcover cookbook and a paperback guide to good carbs and bad—would have to form the base. Although these books racked up solid sales in 2004, in recent weeks, sales of these and other low-carb titles have begun to falter. But the trend is definitely not over, according to booksellers like Borders category manager Christine Edwards. Low-carb books are simply "normalizing," she told PW. "For two years their sales were phenomenally large, like the gold rush."

Of course, one book's slow-down is another's opportunity, especially heading into the all-important "New Year, New You" season. And Rodale is at the ready with The Abs Diet: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life (June 2004). Written by Men's Health magazine editor-in-chief David Zinczenko with Ted Spiker, it departs from the low-carb philosophy with a more sensible approach to weight loss that leavens easy-to-make meals with exercise.

With 300,000 copies in print after 13 printings—and a "360-degree" marketing strategy similar to the one for South Beach, which involves Rodale's book, magazine and direct-mail divisions—The Abs Diet is already well on its way to becoming the #2 diet franchise after South Beach at both Borders and Amazon.

"From the very beginning, Dave Zinczenko was thinking about where to take the book next," said Jeremy Katz, executive editor of men's health and sports books at Rodale, explaining the company's decision to follow up in January with a $7.99 mass market paperback, The Abs Eat Right Every Time Guide. "It's how to eat right in every situation: at a drive-thru, at an airport and at TGI Fridays," said Zinczenko, who wants to cater to our on-the-go culture.

Re-energizing Sales

The second book gives Rodale a chance to step up its marketing for both Abs Diet titles. Its strategy includes more programming with Good Morning America, which will air its fifth Abs-related show on January 3; a massive co-op push into major retailers, including groceries and airport stores; and another author tour in January, including drive-time radio and satellite interviews in 20 markets.

In addition, Rodale is targeting an often-overlooked segment of the diet market: men. "With a word like 'abs,' you're signaling pretty loudly," said Amy Rhodes, v-p, publisher of trade books. The first book was released in time for Father's Day last year and its marketing campaign was initially driven by Men's Health magazine, which has since added a monthly "Abs Diet" column and promotes the book on its Web site.

Cross-Gender Marketing

At the same time, Rodale is reaching out to women, who comprise the bulk of the book buyers, with advertising in Prevention magazine and by using both female and male models to illustrate the book's workouts. "We were looking at The Abs Diet as a plan that comes from a distinctly male perspective, but women could get a lot out of it," Zinczenko told PW. "It's almost like a pair of boxer shorts. They're made for men, but women like them, too."

At Amazon, where The Abs Diet has been in the top 100 since it was published, book editor Nathalie Farage and senior editor Daphne Durham agree that it has cross-gender appeal. "It's geared to men, but it also carefully caters to a female audience by reporting success stories of both men and women on the program. The diet part of this twofold exercise/diet plan places the emphasis on spending a minimum amount of time in the kitchen—music to many women's ears."

By continuing to flex its marketing muscle into the spring with direct mail—it has already sold 50,000 copies of The Abs Diet that way—and online promotions at AbsDiet.com, Rodale just might have its second million-copy bestseller, ready to take over when, and if, sales for South Beach truly fade into the sand.