What does porn say about the economy?

[Cyndalie]

It's long been thought that investing pornography companies can provide a hedge against an economic downturn. In times of high unemployment, men have more free time, are often depressed, at home alone, and...you know the rest. So perhaps the recent numbers for adult DVD sales are a bullish signal for the economy. In 2006, sales of adult DVDs fell by more than 15%, after a decade of steady growth.

So has the porn industry fallen on hard times? Maybe not. The growth of adult sites on the Internet and even cellphones may just be spreading the wealth more broadly: it used to be that people bought DVDs, but now they have many other options.

If you're interested in making a bet on growth in the industry, the two main publicly traded players are New Frontier Media, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOOF) and, of course Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:PLA). Source

This doesn't really make sense. Playboy recently reported HORRIBLE earnings. A month ago they reported 20% decline in profit, with revenue declining 5-8%.

Anyway, I hardly think that porn is a good pulse point for the health of an economy. Unemployed men at home are most likely searching for FREE porn, since they don't have a job to pay for it.

[Relentless]

Originally Posted by Cyndalie

This doesn't really make sense. Playboy recently reported HORRIBLE earnings. A month ago they reported 20% decline in profit, with revenue declining 5-8%.
Anyway, I hardly think that porn is a good pulse point for the health of an economy. Unemployed men at home are most likely searching for FREE porn, since they don't have a job to pay for it.

All vices are good hedges. Cigarettes, alcohol, smut, etc.... they are either unaffected by or driven higher by a bad economy.

[TheLegacy]

when 9-11 happened our sales jumped almost 3 times - during depression and great anxiety people turn to porn as a release from their life. It's the final few things in life that still bring pleasure.

I realize what was happening with playboy - but I hate to say it - I think the American culture has become desensitized to Playboy as generic and want something more intense. Content from Playboy simply doesn't have the same appeal as it once did with pictures/movies getting more perverse. People have more of a selection in fantasies.

[student4ever]

Content from Playboy simply doesn't have the same appeal as it once did with pictures/movies getting more perverse. People have more of a selection in fantasies.

I think you're right on the money with that Rob - with a few clicks and G, you can get very specific about what fantasy you want to fulfill. So do you think the decline in Playboy profits are all the people that didn't read it for the articles?

[TheLegacy]

Originally Posted by student4ever

So do you think the decline in Playboy profits are all the people that didn't read it for the articles?

Dear Playboy:

While cleaning off my double dildo with vibrating anal cone, and themed rhythm music featuring Barry White with my transvestite room mate....

[BruceMiller]

Magazines like Maxim, FHM, etc haven't helped Playboy's sales either

[student4ever]

that WAS you in last months Playboy forum!

[Rochard]

All of the major programs talk about a down trend in sales over the past year or two years. At first I thought this was a simple matter of new companies coming on line and taking a slice of the traffic pie - more people trying to get the same traffic, meaning less of it to go around for everyone else. But I don't think that's it.

What has changed in the past two years on ther Internet? Have you been paying attention? Do you watch the news at all?

Two sites has captured the internet and changed everything - and have grabbed a large share of internet traffic. I'm speaking of course about youtube and myspace. Doesn't myspace get 10% of all Internet traffic? (I thought I read that once.) People (men) are spending less time looking to buy our products and more time on myspace and youtube.

Think about that one.

[Cyndalie]

Yep, one thing is leading at this point...Interactivity.

It's a tough blend for adult though, in the manner of privacy issues and content sharing.

[glad2beme]

Very interesting thread indeed....very interesting..hmmmm...=)

[dyonisus]

Community and interactivity is just not a part of the adult consumer market... or is it? I mean webmaster boards such as this become popular communities for an exchange of ideas and just general peer exchanges, who is to say there are not sites like this thriving out there... I have not looked into it because I woudl not be involved in a porn consumer community, (not a moral issue, porn does nothing for me as a turn on) but for those who do get that, are there places where you can have a profile as a consumer and share interests etc?

[jackbdirty]

The cockroaches will be watching porn way after our asses are gone ...lol

Jack

[Vid Vicious]

very interesting thread ..

My views on adult is that we haven't seen the big boom yet .. I feel a huge shift in people's Honesty on sexuality is on its way... Now if we can just do something about this bible pushing gov't, we'd be sittin' pretty