With lad mag readerships showing signs of decline, advertisers may seek alternative platforms to reach their audience. So will big brands advertise on adult sites?
JEFF ZIE, CHANNEL HEAD, PLAYJAM
As we all know, pornography has been a key driver behind the growth of the internet from day one. I doubt that we will see demand dropping off for many years to come.
Late last year, media company Static 2358 partnered with Playboy TV to produce the first adult-only watershed content on the PlayJam channel. Playboy TV video strip poker was a massive success, despite its relatively tame soft-porn offering. It was proof that titillation and the promise of bare flesh are guaranteed to draw an audience.
Advertising on the internet is a controversial issue. Does it deliver more than a clickthrough? On the assumption that it does, I think Playboy TV is on to a winner. The internet is a massive place with a transient user base, but Playboy TV is a strong brand and will pull in solid levels of traffic.
There are issues with the nature and profile of the audience, but pornography is no longer the preserve of the older, single male in a raincoat. It is my feeling that advertisers would do well to investigate what Playboy TV has to offer.
RICHARD GALE, HEAD OF MARKETING, PLAYBOY TV
The primary aim of our sites is to encourage users to subscribe to one of our TV channels. We are looking for advertisers who want to target a predominantly male audience with substantial disposable income. If we give them the return on investment they expect, I don't see why brands won't advertise.
Playboy is not a top-shelf product, although we expect to come across some advertisers with moral objections. You have to consider the context of each user, and ensure that the media and creative used reflect that.
If you look at the brands that are approaching us, it is testament to the fact that attitudes are changing. Women may not be our target market, but we expect 20 per cent of our audience to be female. If they enjoy our content, it only goes to show how mainstream adult entertainment is becoming.
FAITH CARTHY, HEAD OF BUYING, I-LEVEL
I would be happy to use an adult site for any suitable client, but obviously it won't be appropriate for everyone.
As with any vehicle, the key to driving users, and subsequently advertisers, will be the nature and quality of content. It will depend both on how closely the online offering reflects the Playboy TV portfolio, and how compelling it is versus other mainstream sites.
Users like the anonymity of accessing adult content online, so targeting may feel intrusive if it is too clever. The strengths of the Playboy brand have been its clear positioning and its safe or 'credible' adult content.
If the online offering maintains this balance, I can see a number of sectors being happy to consider it. Potential lies with traditional stalwarts that support the brand offline, such as alcohol brands, sports, betting and lingerie.
JOHN ORRISS, HEAD OF MARKETING, BLUEYONDER
Our ad campaign on Playboy TV's adultchannel.co.uk site generated a healthy response. You have to consider the relevance of what you're saying and make sure you're doing things in good taste.
We had never advertised on adult sites before, but wanted to target a wider audience than our technically oriented early-adopters. It's about getting in front of the target market. Consumers choose what media they consume and we study their behaviour to make sure we're not missing any tricks.
We don't judge our customers, as long as they're not breaking any laws.
We know a significant number of users access adult sites, and it is a crucial element of the internet's growth.
Broadband web access is well suited to the downloading of large files such as photos and video, and we are not too shy to put two and two together.
Content on these sites is similar to what is readily accessible on the top shelf of any newsagent.
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