Can a once iconic media brand reimagine itself for the digital age?
That’s one of the biggest challenges men’s lifestyle magazine Playboy continues to face. Once known as the hottest thing hidden under mattresses nationwide, it has become somewhat of a old-media dinosaur in this quick-and-dirty age of easily accessible online naked pics and videos.
Playboy really did have outstanding articles though. And the media brand is banking on its ability to develop great content that’s easily shareable to help make it relevant once again with its latest app Playboy Now.
As Fast Company reports, “For Playboy, the latest mobile app effort really is about the articles. The iconic media brand, which is in the middle of a digital-era makeover, launched a safe for work app this week aimed at a general audience. These days, Playboy is banking on a very 21st-century business strategy: Readers sharing their content on social media.”
The new app includes “a daily curated hot list,” according to the iTunes description, that will include “guy trends, sports, gamer news and the latest viral videos.” In addition to the daily curated hot list, readers will get exclusive access to articles, other videos and photo galleries. Of course, no nudity, as Apple and Google both restrict that kind of adult content.
Playboy‘s chief product officer Phillip Morelock told Fast Company that 80 percent of Playboy‘s traffic comes from mobile after 4 p.m.
It’s interesting to watch old-world media brands transition to digital. Do we really need one more male-oriented app that talks about entertainment, fashion, cars, girls and more? Or will Playboy figure out how to bring it?
