Global Popularity of Brand Playboy - Research Paper Example

? Introduction Different trends in society are not only based on the needs of those in the culture, but also link to the appeal and the expressions of a specific time frame. An example of one of the popular elements in society is Playboy merchandise. This particular company is known for the entertainment which it provides to society, specifically which links to models for men as well as merchandise which advertises the company. The changes which Playboy has experienced since the beginning has not only altered with the amount of popularity and trends that are associated with the culture. Changes in merchandise and popularity have now transformed into different perspectives available internationally and with changing ideologies in society. History of Playboy Merchandise The beginning of Playboy was seen in 1953 by owner Hugh Heffner, at that time known as ‘Stag.” The approach was to offer a magazine for men that included nude female models, journal articles and fiction. The first issue was focused on pictures of the celebrity, Marilyn Monroe and sold an average of 53,991 copies within a few weeks. From here, Hefner began to work with Eldon Sellers in Chicago for enhancing the trend of the magazine. To enhance this, the models were combined with the different components which added to the brand of Playboy, including the Playboy bunny, which was known for being placed in the magazine in a discreet area for men to find. The height of the magazine circulated into the 1970s as the main magazine with the specific content. After this time, pornographic videos, “Penthouse” and other magazines focused on specific audiences began to compete with the magazine. However, it continues to sell an average of 2.6 million magazines per month1. The intimacy of the magazine led to the development of merchandise, specifically because the magazine wasn’t able to produce the images outside of the magazine. The development of the playboy bunny was able to add into this image in the 1970s to lead to the popularity of the magazine. The merchandise includes t-shirts, caps, household items, cards, cosmetics, jewelry, mobile phone accessories, mugs and posters. All of the merchandise which was sold was considered secondary to the magazine, videos and DVDs. However, the merchandise continued to be sold because it worked as a way of advertising the magazine and the overall ideology of the brand. Most of the merchandise grew in the 1980s and 1990s and was introduced globally, specifically to make a defined understanding of the brand name in relation to the magazines which were sold2. Current Condition of Playboy The merchandise which grew into an international brand not only went through a rising popularity. The Playboy brand was known for a continuous rise and fall in the amount of merchandise available to those interested in the brand. After the 1970s, the brand declined because of the other competitors which began to offer the same type of magazine and which combined other options for sales with the Playboy brand. This pushed Playboy into building the brand identity through the merchandise and allowed them to move back into popular rankings at a global level. Today, the concept of adult entertainment has been reinvented through the concept of Playboy, specifically because of the decline which occurred in the 1970s. The Playboy brand has built a stronger reputation with the use of technology and the Internet. At the same time, the merchandise which is available is growing in popularity. It is noted that this is linked specifically to the economic turns. When the economy was booming in the 1980s and 1990s, the magazine was popular and the merchandise worked as a brand identity. However, the downturn in the economy has led more to finding the merchandise and alternative Internet sources for the Playboy magazine. This exchange was combined with the understanding of the Playboy identity as well as what the cultural values and norms are in terms of the entertainment3. The current trends as well as the changes in the economy have led to alterations in what is valued among individuals in society. There are many in the younger generation as well as in other regions of the world that recognize the Playboy bunny not as a component to the brand of the magazine of nude women. It is known that younger girls and youth from various regions of the world are continuing to invest in the merchandise which is available, most which is done without relevance to the initial meaning of the magazine and the bunny. The generation which is now interested in the bunny is not basing this on the initial brand that was used for the magazine, but instead is investing in the merchandise as a social statement outside of the initial culture of the adult entertainment for men4. Global Popularity of Brand The products that are available through Playboy have led to global sales. The merchandise available began to move overseas in the 1980s and 1990s, outside of the magazine sales. This led to a changing culture in which the brand identity of the bunny became popular outside of the initial magazine. The consumer products available are now in 150 countries and are known to be placed in small and large retail stores as well as entertainment venues. The stock of the company is currently at $5.50 per share, specifically which combines the popularity of the global brand and the number of sales with the magazine that continue to accumulate with the overall brand identity5. The global popularity of the brand was one which not only was based on the accumulation of brand identity from the bunny and merchandise. The only association which many countries had with the icon of the bunny was based on the international symbol of American life. This was specific to the idealized life which Hefner lived, specifically by moving from a $1000 loan from his mother to the clubs and mansions which he now owns. The icon is furthered into the ideology of the bunny representing the good life and of enjoying life without hardships. More than being based on the sexual exploitation of women, the global culture focused on presenting the American lifestyle of free expression, moving from rags to riches and creating experiences through entertainment and the enjoyment of life6. The Culture of Playboy The current culture of Playboy continues to drive forward the merchandise and the changes which are occurring with the company. Today, the technology of Playboy, as well as the merchandise is the two driving factors of the company. The brand has rebuilt its identity through the merchandise which is now sold without the association to the main magazine. The culture of the Internet has furthered this, specifically with the emergence of the sex revolution that began in the 1990s. The sex revolution is one which has continued to advertise and promote free sex and which attracts many to the culture of gender as entertainment. The developments have led to several competitors within the industry that are associating entertainment with the concept of adult lifestyles. Playboy has furthered this with the Playboy mansion, Playboy clubs, online entertainment portals and a culture which is associated with the idea of creating a high – end association with free sexual expressions7. The ideology of creating adult entertainment and associating this with the high – end expressions is furthered with the ideology of using the exploitation with a celebrity status concept. The Playboy girls are known as high – end and international models that stay in the mansion and which are regarded as socialites in society. This is communicated to audiences online and through different regions of the world, which transforms from the simplistic erotica into one which is based on creating a culture out of the sexual revolution. The merchandise which follows, even when not associating with the women, shows the same celebrity status that is a part of the culture. The brand is considered as one which is equal to the popular fashions and the ideology of elitist lifestyles of celebrities. Creating the club of Playboy and combining this with the merchandise that is sold outside of this then allows the culture to form around the brand of Playboy, as opposed to the ideology behind the sexual exploitation8. The current changes of the brand and ideology of creating celebrity popularity of the Playboy is emerging with the expectations seen online. The recreation of Playboy is one which has launched into online clubs, exclusive places for those interested in the culture and fashion statements that have launched from the merchandise. The culture which is created is based on popularity that has been gained from being a part of the celebrity and elitist component with magazine, television and through the Internet. It is known that the magazine in 2009 lost $13.7 million; however, the merchandise and the club areas accounted for the majority of profits, leading to an overall profit in the company of over $800 million. The product is based on creating a specific aura with the products based on the stars of the company, while allowing the merchandise and the pop culture to drive forward the sales and the ideology of Playboy9. The pop culture from the merchandise and clubs of Playboy is expected to continue to grow and change with the trends of celebrities that are in society. The change from the sexual revolution to the expression of freedom and living the American dream has allowed the merchandise to become the main drive of the Playboy business. More than this, the initial focus on nude models has altered into a celebrity status that is now celebrated among younger generations while the concepts used continue to remain on the cutting edge of popular culture. By using the popular culture to show specific ideas and actions which many relate to, while revolutionizing the symbolism of the brand, there is the ability for the revolutions from this specific brand to continue to grow within society. The consumer ideologies which continue to grow with the fashion of the Playboy brand show that the popularity has changed from the initial magazine and into a culture of celebrity ideologies10. Conclusion The changes in popular culture have led to new trends and concepts for a variety of businesses. When looking at the Playboy brand identity and merchandise, it can be seen that it has grown from the initial magazine and into one which is a representation of identity and culture. The merchandise has led to shifts in the global and national culture, specifically as a representation of revolutionary and forward thinking, expressions of the American identity of prosperity and the ideology of celebrity and popular status within society. The rise and fall, as well as the reemergence of Playboy all lead to the concept of how the brand has initialized a pop culture movement with the content of the magazine becoming secondary. The brand image of the merchandise, outside of complimenting the main industry of Playboy, has become a representation of the ideas of culture and the associations which represent an icon that has changed with the forward thinking of American culture. Works Cited Boyle, Karen. Everyday Pornography. Taylor and Francis: New York, 2010. Bullough, Vern. Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context. Routledge: New York, 2002. Dines, Gail. Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality. Beacon Press: New York, 2010 Faye, Marcia. “Art Paul: The Art of Designing Playboy.” IIT Magazine (Spring), 2009. Gunelius, Susan. Building Brand Value the Playboy Way. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2009. Hughes, DM. “The Sex Industry and Internet Industry: Partners in Globalization of Sexual Exploitation.” Technology and Society (64), 2009. Investors Hub. “Playboy Enterprises.” 2007. Retrieved from: http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/board.aspx?board_id=10351# Moss, Stuart. The Entertainment Industry: An Introduction CARl Publishers: New York. 2008. Radford, Ceri. “Playboy Bunny Hops Out of History.” The Telegraph (April), 2011 Watts, Steven. Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream. John Wiley and Sons: New York, 2009. Read More