Which country does the Playboy brand come from?

1953 10, the first issue of Playboy magazine was born on the dining table in Hefner's kitchen. The cover introduces the calendar girl Marilyn. Monroe. Hefner, 27, borrowed $8,000 from relatives and friends, spent $500 to buy the copyright of Monroe's semi-nude photos, and founded Playboy by cutting and pasting. Unexpectedly, the inaugural issue sold more than 50 thousand copies (50 cents each)

The birth of Playboy catered to the social trend of thought in the United States at that time, which Hefner himself did not expect. Hefner once said that he never wanted to be a "revolutionary", and his purpose was to create a mainstream men's magazine with "sex" as its content, which happened to be a very revolutionary idea. During the "sexual revolution" in the 1960s and 1970s, reading Playboy became a symbol of rebellion. Shortly after the end of World War II, the economy began to recover, and the appearance of automobiles, birth control pills and television, coupled with the influence of sexology research, urbanization and Vietnam War, made the university campus filled with an anti-traditional atmosphere. Playboy, which focuses on semi-nude photos of women and talks about sex, leisure and life taste, quickly emerged as the best-selling men's magazine. One year after publication, the sales volume of each issue exceeded 654.38+10,000 copies. The circulation was once as high as more than 8 million copies per issue. At that time, watching Playboy became synonymous with "enjoying life". In 1930s and 1940s, the slogan of American teenagers was: "Be as rich as Rockefeller when you grow up"; In the 1960s, the slogan became: "When you grow up, you should have fun like Hefner". Playboy was pushed to the forefront by the radical cultural movement at that time and became a banner of the sexual revolutionary movement. The most important thing of the "sexual revolution" symbolized by Playboy is not the change of sexual behavior, but the legalization of the media's public reporting of "sex".

"Pursuing happiness" is the essence of Hefner's philosophy in Playboy. In the first issue of Playboy, he once wrote: "Playboy does not refer to decadent hedonists. Our so-called' playboy' is a person who doesn't regard life as just a string of bitter tears. The idea behind Playboy magazine is that entertainment and enjoyment are good things. Each of us is just living in the world in a hurry, and life should be lived with flavor. Sex itself is not just about passing on the family, it is the driving force that really makes the world move forward. " Hefner believes that Playboy can beat many competitors in the past because it pursues not only a magazine style, but also a lifestyle, and "sex" is only a small part of it.

Hefner is a direct person, but he is not a rude person. After gaining a firm foothold, he demanded higher and higher quality of magazines. Every issue of Playboy has a close-up of a playmate, an interview, fictional literary works and an introduction to the art of the classic Playboy ... Some famous models such as Naomi? Campbell and Cindy? Crawford, and Hollywood star Sharon? Si Tong, Kim and Bessinger are all on the cover of the magazine, and they are proud of it. Michael. Jordan and Bob? Dylan bill. Gates and others have been interviewed by Playboy. John? Updike, Joyce? Carol. Oates, Stephen? Kim and Tom? Clancy also writes articles in magazines.

Playboy, which has been published for 50 years, has witnessed many important times, and the cover girls are full of amorous feelings. The only constant is the enchanting bunny with childishness.

With the growth of age, the relationship between Christie and her father began to become close. Talking about politics, talking about religion, almost everything. She found that Playboy was not entirely a pornographic magazine. It has its own political position. It has a clear-cut stand against the Vietnam War and the death penalty, and often publishes some sharp interviews or articles written by well-known domestic writers. So, after graduating from brandeis University with honors, Christie decided to go out of Gunn's daughter's world and become a member of the Hefner family.

Nowadays, beyond the era of fate, Playboy's territory has been extended to TV, video and Internet beyond magazines. Despite fierce competition, its average circulation can be maintained at about 3.2 million in recent years, and about 6.5438 million American adults buy it every month. Twenty-five years ago, Playboy began to explore overseas markets, and now there are 19 editions in the world, which are shared by 5 million readers (mainly men) in different countries. Playboy and its bunny logo have become one of the symbols of American culture.

Half a century has passed, has the playboy changed or the society changed? Christie replied, "The culture has changed." Hefner added: "Of course we have changed. We are more and more satisfied with our appearance and more and more adapted to this fact? We are very sexy. "

So some people say that Playboy has finally changed after half a century of birth. But has society changed or playboy changed? "It was Playboy that changed society," Christie said. "This makes us accustomed to nudity and sexiness." This tone is reminiscent of her father Hefner, who once boasted: "There are three great inventions of human beings, fire, wheel and playboy."

Hefner, the founder of Playboy, recently announced that he will carry out revision surgery on this magazine which is about to celebrate its 50th birthday, so as to reduce pornographic content and increase readability. In fact, the editor of Playboy began to focus on the manuscript several years ago, and several readable articles and interviews will be published in each issue. Nowadays, Playboy no longer refers to that magazine. It has become an internationally renowned brand. The hefner family has invested everywhere. They have their own TV station and hotel industry, and they also sell brand rights to many clothing and gift merchants. Last year, Hefner also increased his investment in pornographic TV networks and merged three pornographic TV networks for $70 million. According to the annual report of Playboy Group, the income of entertainment circle is the same as that of publishing industry. The revenue of pay TV channels has now exceeded the total revenue of the group 1/3.

Playboy magazine is regarded as the most popular brand among high-end consumers in Chinese mainland.

In 2000, a street in Chicago was named "Hefner Road". 1967, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine (this is a magazine that Hefner had to look up all the time), and the title of the report was: Pursuing pleasure.

We may not know Hefner, but we must have seen the famous rabbit, and we must have heard of Playboy magazine. Some people may have a set of playboy underwear hidden in the cupboard. CNNMONEY website quoted a market research report as saying that Playboy is the most popular brand among high-end consumers in Chinese mainland.

Enlightenment of attic bankruptcy

Since the 1960s, explicit pornographic magazines such as Attic have appeared around Playboy. Compared with the rising star's boldness and ferocity, Playboy looks like a shy little girl. But hefner didn't choose the road of no return with increasing dose? This is indeed a road of no return. The attic recently declared bankruptcy, and its ending is a lesson. In fact, if only naked sex is left, who dares to advertise this magazine (except prostitutes) when everyone (especially decent people) regards it as a pervert? Who has the courage to be seen reading it? A talented "playboy" would never stoop to such a level.

Playboy in the eyes of readers

Playboy: A business empire that smells bad and tastes good.

Hugh, the founder of Playboy? Hefner established a playboy empire, which became a strange phenomenon in American culture. In 2003, the 50th anniversary of the publication of Playboy magazine, his daughter Christie? After Hefner took over, he was busy bringing this business empire into line with modern times.

Playboy enters online games.

On June 5438+February 1 1 day, 2002, American Playboy Company reached an agreement with ARUBSH Entertainment and GrooveGame to jointly develop and sell an interactive electronic game. This is the first Playboy-style video game, which can be used on PC, Sony PlayStation2, Microsoft Xbox and other platforms. It is planned to enter the market in 2004. This game will allow players to play Hugh, the founder of Playboy. Hefner, a man creates a playboy empire and lives like a playboy. Alex, head of the authorized department of Playboy Company? "This transaction marks Playboy's entry into the field of video games, which is an important breakthrough for us, and it expands the use of our trademark license in the entertainment field," said Playboy Director Alexvaickus. The company's management officials said that Playboy is now looking for more opportunities to make more games, especially online games.

At present, everything seems optimistic, because Playboy readers spent $3 million just playing video games last year, and 30 1000 readers brought their own video game equipment. Jim, CEO of ARUBSH Entertainment? Perkins said that this game will be very interesting and exciting.

According to a recent report, how long will it take Liang Mujian, CEO of Sony Electronic Entertainment, to come to China to crack down on piracy, so we can understand why Playboy is eager to enter the video game industry. After all, the market is too fat. Ed, head of Microsoft XBOXGAMECONTENT? Fries also pointed out that the annual consumption of electronic entertainment industry is $23 billion, and it is increasing by 20% every year.

The game to be developed is just the beginning for Playboy Company, and how far video games will go. Although video games exist, they are no different from a fresh "playboy" girl who can attract readers.

Playboy advocates luxurious life.

Playboy is one of the most famous companies in the international market at present. Playboy is the best-selling men's magazine in the world at present, and its monthly cost is more than that of Gentleman, GQ and Rolling Stone combined. Twenty-five years ago, Playboy began to explore overseas markets, and now there are 19 editions in the world, which are shared by 5 million readers (mainly men) in different countries. 65438+130,000 cable TV or TV with direct satellite connection can receive Playboy TV programs, and they have partners in 50 countries around the world.

In addition, Playboy video topped the sales list on the bulletin board. Shopping malls in Beijing sell casual shoes with rabbit heads and tie knots. Rabbit head 1953 was made by Arthur? Paul's design is considered to show the entertainment side of Playboy and represent a more relaxed part of life. Rabbits are an important source of global income for Playboy. It is the most famous trademark in the world, just like the big M of McDonald's, the small hook of Nike, and the little man playing POLO on the polo shirt.

Playboy company authorizes manufacturers all over the world to use its own logo. At present, about 2,500 products in more than 80 countries bear the logo of Playboy, with an annual retail sales of nearly $250 million. Playboy aims at young people on the Internet, and has opened a Playboy store and online games on the Internet. Playboy Online Club has 65438+400,000 members.

Playboy can sell well, not only because of the girl who wears less clothes, but also because of the careful arrangement of the structure and the words comparable to the New Yorker. Nevertheless, criticism followed from the beginning, and Hefner and his Playboy were criticized by feminism and spurned by fundamentalism. Constant litigation still affects the magazine. By 1969, the overheated photos no longer appeared in Playboy and were classified as indecent.

Entering the information age from traditional industries

The success of Playboy led to more men's adult magazine, such as The Attic and The Sexy Man, and later more moderate men's magazines Maxim, Men's Health, Rolling Stone, GQ and Gentleman, etc. Publishing alone is not enough. 1960 In February, Hefner opened the first Playboy Club in Chicago. Bunny-style waiters and hot dancing made the club chain spread like mushrooms after rain from the east coast to the west coast of the United States, becoming the most successful nightclub chain in American history until the last club 1986 closed. Besides clubs, the Playboy industry also includes hotels and casinos. 197 1 year, Playboy went public and was officially named Playboy Enterprise Company.

However, Hefner developed traditional business. It was his daughter, 47-year-old Christie, who brought modernity to the family business. Hefner is currently the CEO of Playboy Company. 1975 She joined this colorful business empire founded by her father. Hugh? Although Hefner has retired, he is still the editor-in-chief of Playboy, and he is still in full swing. In an interview with 1999, he said, "The new generation has grown up, waiting for me to come out and take them to play."

Christie? Hefner, as a woman, seems embarrassed to lead such an enterprise, but she thinks that her gender has nothing to do with what she does, just as the building of Playboy on Fifth Avenue looks no different from ordinary office buildings.

She manages these as general commodities, but they are special, unlike her father Hugh? Hefner himself is the best living advertisement of the company. Since she became the CEO of 1988, the adjustment she made for the company's development strategy was to turn the original direction mainly for the United States and printing industry into electronics and networks. From 65438 to 0994, Christie brought the company into the online world, and Playboy became the first international magazine to do so. 1999, Playboy's network department earned $70,000, but it was the fastest growing department in the company, about twice as much as 1997. Christie's thus opened up overseas markets.

At the end of last year, the company will invest 20 million dollars to build digital equipment, which can transmit real-time digital content on the Internet and provide more adult fun for adult men and women. This practice of hers is undoubtedly the best embodiment of "content gives birth to business opportunities" in the network information age.

Christie's is very proud that a 50-year-old company can satisfy readers, audiences and buyers from three different aspects, even if it has only one core product.