By Joe Waters, Guest Contributor, Selfish Giving
In 1953, Playboy used nude pictures in its magazine because the photos disrupted the status quo. In 2016, they’ve gotten rid of the images for the very same reason.
In a move that would have been unthinkable a generation ago, Playboy did away with nudity on its website in 2014, which resulted in a more than 400 percent increase in traffic and one billion page views in the relaunch’s first five months. This month’s print magazine is nude-less! Advertisers are liking what they’re seeing. The new, nude-free Playboy magazine sold over 50 percent more ads.
To get your nudity fix you’ll have to wait until Game of Thrones comes back in April. Actually, you won’t, because as we all know nudity is everywhere. That’s why Playboy is covering up. You used to look at nude pictures in the crevices of your bedroom. Now you can look at them on your phone in the elevator at work.
It’s not that Playboy is even changing that much. Nude pictures have been pretty irrelevant for years. But since it’s beginning, Playboy has been known for its in-depth interviews, investigative journalism and fiction. This is Playboy’s big chance to show off its real assets.
As a cause marketer, I know you don’t rely on nude pictures in your work. But like Playboy you’ve been doing some things for too long and hurting your success. Here are three things you need to stop doing to ensure that, like the new nude-less Playboy, you never lose your edge.
Stop Focusing on Older Audiences
Playboy had the same problem as most brands: age-creep. Before dropping nudity on its website the average visitor age was 47. Now it’s 30.
I’m sure if you look at your own supporters you’ll notice the same trend upward. But like Playboy, you need to reverse that number or face oblivion. By most estimates, Millennials are 80 to 95 million strong in the U.S. alone, making them the largest demographic. Simply put, they are the one group your organization can’t live without. So what are you waiting for?
My friends here at For Momentum have some great suggestions on how to mobilize Millennials for a cause!
Stop Ignoring Your Biggest Asset
The United States version of Playboy magazine loses $3 million a year. You might wonder how a company can lose that much money every year and still stay profitable. The reality is that Playboy is much bigger than its magazine, which is what everyone thinks of when they hear the name.
Losing $3 million is peanuts to Playboy because licensing deals—for everything from cologne to jewelry—generate over a BILLION DOLLARS for the company.
Playboy’s biggest asset is its brand.
People ask me all the time how they can raise more money with cause marketing. I tell them three things: Brand, Brand, Brand. A brand that resonates with people is hard to build but is incredibly valuable. Not convinced? Ask the folks that raise a billion dollars for a 70-bed hospital in Memphis, Tennessee how valuable a powerful brand is.
Still, nonprofits think they are too busy planning their next walk or gala (aka the nonprofit “magazine”) to focus on the bigger opportunity that would raise more money than all their events combined.
Playboy may have been known for its nudity, but the people who are focused on transactional fundraisers instead of building a brand are the real boobs.
Interested in getting started with brand building? Here’s a great resource for you.
Stop Relying on Old Tricks
Nude pictures are definitely not safe for work. This hurts page views, advertising dollars and social engagement. That’s why Playboy eliminated nudity on its website. It was all about moving Playboy from an “adult” to an “entertainment” brand.
Today, Playboy is one of the top social brands in the world.
Just as Playboy took steps to improve its online engagement with its target audience—Millennials—cause marketers have to work to engage potential partners with compelling, useful content.
“How do we get people to open and share our content?” Playboy found its answers. What is your organization’s answer to that question?
You can find ten great examples of charities that found theirs here. I also love this video campaign from Organic Valley that makes fun of cause marketing and scores big with customers.
The future of cause marketing is content marketing. Without a powerful brand and a compelling story to share, cause marketers are just turning tricks. You need to do better. Ask Playboy. Sex doesn’t sell.
