The Modernization of Playboy

Yes, I am going to write about Playboy. Unfortunately, this will be strictly concerned with the business behind it. Also in adherence to the morals of this classroom, I won't be able to provide any visuals, so for those of you who aren't familiar with the magazine, you can do further research at your own risk.

Recently, Playboy has revealed a shocking new business strategy, which strays away from the very foundation that the company was built on. For the first time in its 62 year existence, the magazine will no longer feature nude photographs. This is a great example of how companies are starting to modernize, and adapt to current trends in consumer demands and interests. In this case, the adaptation might sound extreme, but the risks may bring high rewards, or quite possibly, epic disaster. It is general knowledge that adjustments are necessary to compete in an evolving society, so I was not surprised by this move. After all, who looks at nude magazines anyway? If someone wants to see some good ole-fashioned nudity, they can easily jump on the internet. Only a certified creep will go out of their way to get the hard copy, and those certified creeps don't really make for a large target audience. That is why they plan to have their print edition turn to a stronger emphasis on "upscale lifestyle content, long form journalism, celebrity interviews and fiction" which will appeal to a much broader crowd, typically younger men. The magazine won't completely throw away the "sexy, seductive pictorials of the world's most beautiful women" but will aim towards a more "PG-13" representation. I feel like the general public is under the impression that the magazine is complete "trash" shall we say, but in actuality, Playboy has "long been known for its respected storytelling, and celebrity Q&A's---having published interviews with Jimmy Carter and Martin Luther King Jr.". Since they have displayed ability in that regard, I see a lot of potential in this change.

This is just a real life example of how companies are conscious of the consumer, and are able to notice opportunities that a changing culture brings about, to help expand their business.

by Jack Denison

Source:

Bazilian, Emma. "Will Playboy's Brand Survive Without Nudity?" AdWeek. ADWEEK, 18 Oct. 2015. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. <http://www.adweek.com/news/press/will-playboy-s-brand-survive-without-nudity-167636>.