Posts tagged: business venture

Playboy, Without the Centerfolds

Playboy.com is trying a new nudity-free venture.

Playboy.com is trying a new nudity-free venture.

For years, some men have been saying that they read Playboy just for the articles. Now those men will have their chance to prove it!

Looking for ways to grow their brand and revive themselves from an economic slump, Playboy has debuted a new website that will not feature nudity called TheSmokingJacket.com.

Playboy has struggled with its online presence for years as they straddled the line between pornography and pop culture. Their newest foray into the online world is an attempt to increase their web presence during normal work hours.

“A lot of our audience logs on (to Playboy.com) after work and we saw that we were missing a golden opportunity to reach guys when they’re online the most: when they’re sitting at their desk, not working, sending e-mails to their friends,” said Jimmy Jellinek, Playboy’s editorial director.

Of course, this move comes at a time when Playboy is struggling. Stock prices have plummeted to about $5 per share, down from $15 per share just a few years ago.

As the company continues to flounder, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is trying to cement his legacy.  He can probably best do this by ensuring that Playboy isn’t swallowed up by one its competitors, as Penthouse recently tried to do. It is the company’s hope that the new site will be the impetus the brand needs to make gains in a field it started nearly 50 years ago.

What do you think of Playboy’s new online venture? Would you read Playboy without the nudity?