AIRSTREAM • FARBERWARE • JONES APPAREL GROUP • MORRIS LAPIDUS • PANTONE • PLAYBOY
Playboy enjoyed huge brand recognition and highly unique brand positioning.
The magazine had an almost exclusively male readership and, at this time, women purchased nearly 80% of male consumer products. It was also unclear whether retailers would accept products with Playboy’s risqué positioning. At this time, a media-based licensing program had never been attempted.
Two strategies were developed. The first was to sell products through mass market distribution. The second was to target the key purchasing decision makers; women.
Licensing became the most profitable division for Playboy Enterprises, generating over $200 million dollars a
year, more than even magazine subscriptions. The success of the female targeted Playmate licenses for jeans,
intimate apparel, bedding, sunglasses and others led to the opportunity to redirect and coordinate the men’s licensing as well.
