LOS ANGELES -- Satellite TV and cable services have begun promoting adult pay-per-view services on various men's channels, advertising doors opened by the nation's economic woes.
Companies such as DirecTV and Comcast are allowing ad spots for adult PPV channels to appear on ESPN, Spike and other male-oriented channels, likely post-midnight - the "fringe" time period - according to Advertising Age.
"Traditionally, you'll find as economic times get tough, people will set aside their moral agendas in an effort to realize revenues," said Farley Cahen, vice president New Media, Digital Playground.
The placement on channels for men hits the bull's-eye, too, said Cahen, whose company delivers PPV content, appears on VUDU and offers HD Internet content as well.
"That's your demographic: 18-35 male, predominantly single, some married and most interested in adult content. And everywhere else in the world it's not as taboo," he said. "I think networks, ad agencies are hypocritical about it, but tough times will turn them back to adult content, liquor and cigarette advertising, because no matter what, those always sell to some degree," Cahen told AVN Online.
As Ad Age pointed out, mainstream premium channels are raising prices while adult channels have lowered theirs; though the TV service providers reap 90 percent of the profits, the magazine said. Meanwhile, adult advertisements are finding the mainstream media courting them as well.
"Print is hurting, TV is hurting. Anybody with a good wire transfer or check is welcome," Cahen said. "Nothing is insulated from the downturn, the hell spin we're in. I can buy just about anywhere I want. The FHM's of the world are hurting and you'll find Hot Movies in the back pages of these magazines along with penis-enlargement ads."
Quentin Boyer, Marketing Manger for Pink Visual told AVN Online the ads are a long time coming.
"The only surprise about having more adult pay-per-view advertising on late night, male-oriented broadcasts is that it didn't start happening long ago. I think it speaks to the general trend of greater acceptance of erotic materials over time by the general public," Boyer said.
"It's also true that advertising of adult materials on Spike and Comedy Central has been going on for several years -- it's just it has largely been softcore material like Girls Gone Wild," Boyer added. "Now it sounds like the content being advertised will include harder material, and -- one hopes, at least -- there will be less steel drum music involved. Advertising of harder content on these channels is not entirely new, either; TEN has been running ads on late night cable -- at least in my local market -- for quite some time."
"When the market's strong, they'll turn away business, but when they're hurting, they're anxious to take revenue anyway they can to remain as solvent as possible," Cahen said. "It's a shame people have to get laid off, publications have to shut down, because of what's been a generally very prudish, right-wing agenda."
