Whether it’s a lame joke or a fair assessment, you know the print industry is in trouble when Playboy is struggling. Although the brand may be slightly taboo, the relevance to modern business is uncanny. With increased competition on the web, an uprising youthful market, and technological advancements, it’s time for Hugh to pull a few tricks out of his red silk robe sleeves. Over the past year, Playboy has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons – decreased sales, buyout speculation, and now strategic direction – revealing the astonishing truth that it’s not all about the great articles… That is why Playboy’s popular, right?

The troubling facts started making headlines this time last year. Following the global economic meltdown, the print industry as a whole was in dire straights, and Hef’s empire was no exception. After reporting that Playboy Enterprises Inc. had lost $13.7 million in its first quarter of 2009, speculation rose that Hugh was looking to sell the iconic brand for $300 million. However, a year has past since then, and Hugh Hefner’s still at the helm, but with a new strategic direction.

Maxim et al., move over, Playboy is planning on taming down their website in order to make it office friendly. Rather than sparring with online competitors over R-rated content, Playboy announced last week that it will be catering its content to the average businessman, thus emphasizing their – you guessed it – great articles. To some this may come as a shock, as Playboy has one of the strongest brands in the world, and an iconic logo to boot, but even the best can be forced to change when decreasing sales trends emerge. However, with such a well recognized logo, Playboy has been able to apply their brand dominance to many products, in various markets, and with their latest deodorant/body spray launch last year, they don’t seem to be stopping any time soon.

Earlier this year, in an attempt to grab consumers’ attention, Playboy printed an issue with Marge Simpson as the cover girl. Next month, the new look of Playboy goes even further. In the June issue, the centrefold will come fully equipped with 3D glasses! No longer will three-dimensional creatures like dragons and blue giants dominate the revolutionary 3D market. Though, despite the surging trend, Hugh claims he had the idea in the ‘50s – he even had the photographer take the pictures – however, he never ran it, as it wouldn’t have been financially feasible to include the glasses. Although the glasses are still an expensive gimmick, HBO was able to strike a deal with Hugh that would reduce the financial burden, while promoting their new series True Blood. Despite being tawdry, I’ve got to hand it to Hef and Co. for revealing another side for readers.

All puns aside, Playboy has seen a significant decrease in readership, dropping from 3.15 million in 2006, to 1.5 million in 2009. It’s easy for print industry players to blame the internet and the recession for their rapid downfall, however, those who are willing to adapt and appeal to the tech savvy generation have a much better chance at surviving than those who don’t. Moreover, when a magazine like Playboy starts releasing monthly issues with 3D glasses, it just goes to show you that Hugh is committed to keeping the brand alive, consumers guessing, and readers… reading.

After spending four years completing his Bachelor of Business Administration in the thriving metropolis of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Dorian decided to explore other major cities around the world. Although sporadic trips were exciting, the novelty of serving double tall lattes faded fast. Thus returning to his native Halifax was a no-brainer, as too was his decision to pursue his passion in advertising. However, when Dorian isn’t crutching around the office, he enjoys relaxing with friends and taking in the best sounds and suds Halifax has to offer. You can find anything from Jazz to House music on his iPod… just not the Jonas Brothers.