CYBERSPACE—It was a surprising announcement: a venerable brand acquired by a new media company. In a company press release, Xhamster explained its bold move.
“As many media experts and digital marketers have already noticed, the recent decision by Playboy to switch over to safe for work (SFW) content without any nudity at all was a very short-lived success. Yes, the brand garnered plenty of free media attention when the change was first announced, but since that point it has become increasingly obvious that fans want to see all the naughty bits of their favorite centerfolds along with the news and interviews Playboy is known for—and that is what prompted xHamster.com to make an offer,” the release stated.
“We have always had our eyes on Playboy, from the first time we snagged a nudie magazine to enjoy some quality alone time long before the Internet existed to the Jimmy Carter interview and even the most recent editions,” said an xHamster representative. “We do not see Playhamster as a safe-for-work content provider, and are eager to move the Playboy catalog of playmates beyond the mild nudity they were previously known for over the years.”
Financial details of this monumental deal in the adult sector have not been disclosed, but a recent article about Playboy being up for sale did peg the asking price as somewhere north of $500 million. As CEO Scott Flanders previously told The New York Times, "that battle has been fought and won. You're now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free. And so it's just passé at this juncture."
Playboy owner Hugh Hefner also was in the news earlier this year when the famed Playboy Mansion was reportedly listed for sale with a price tag of $200 millions in January. Representatives from Playboy or xHamster were unable to comment about the rumored sale of the property due to terms of the corporate brand sale agreement.
Media entities and interested parties are encouraged to contact [email protected] with any additional information requests. The consolidation process is presently under way and all of the associated intellectual property will be transferred within the second quarter of this year, as adult’s biggest hamster consumes the industry’s iconic bunny.
The news is causing quite a stir among media watchers and millions of adult entertainment fans, in particular thanks to the unveiling of a logo that can best be described as a hamster with bunny ears. See it at the new Playhamster.com website, which is live now.
