Spring Break
Playboy CEO, Christie Hefner
by Elana Berkowitz (NA) , Contributing Writer
Issue date: 4/23/07 Section: News
As she discussed her career trajectory, the media landscape, the Playboy brand, and their recent international expansion, she did not capture the attention of the entire audience. One student stormed out halfway grumbling, "this is so damn boring." Perhaps he was expecting one of those Playboy bunnies instead of a woman dressed in a demure beige skirt suit who ranked #90 on Forbes magazine's list of the 100 Most Powerful Women.
A graduate of Brandeis University, Hefner came of age in the era of Vietnam and Watergate, and she explained that she always pictured herself as becoming a lawyer, journalist, or a judge. Business wasn't on her radar then and as she put it, given the cultural milieu at the time, "business was the establishment. In that environment, it was the enemy."
Still, when her father asked her to join the company post-graduation, she thought she would give it a try. Since then, she became the President of Playboy at the ripe old age of 29 and has stayed with the company. Though has not earned on MBA, Hefner says she did get the experience of an MBWA, or "management by walking around." During her time at Playboy, she successfully re-capitalized the company, launched their products internationally, and steered the company towards the internet in 1994, making it the first national magazine on the web. In part, that decision was driven by a desire to engage consumers between the ages of 18 and 29. Citing the cautionary tale of magazines such as Reader's Digest and Life, Hefner says Playboy did not want to fall into the trap of only having an aging consumer base of readers who had grown up with the magazine.
Still, there were missteps. Hefner noted that there was a period when the Playboy brand licensed out its name carelessly in the 70s and 80s, allowing brand-damaging products to appear on the market, like Playboy air fresheners.
As she tried to reposition Playboy, Hefner noted, "a brand should be a theme park, the products are just the souvenirs you take home." Now, Playboy sells almost $750 million in products globally, ranging from bar wear to videogames and cosmetics, with sales concentrated in Asia and Europe. She has also established smart retail partnerships with upscale stores including Kitson in LA and Colette in Paris.
A graduate of Brandeis University, Hefner came of age in the era of Vietnam and Watergate, and she explained that she always pictured herself as becoming a lawyer, journalist, or a judge. Business wasn't on her radar then and as she put it, given the cultural milieu at the time, "business was the establishment. In that environment, it was the enemy."
Still, when her father asked her to join the company post-graduation, she thought she would give it a try. Since then, she became the President of Playboy at the ripe old age of 29 and has stayed with the company. Though has not earned on MBA, Hefner says she did get the experience of an MBWA, or "management by walking around." During her time at Playboy, she successfully re-capitalized the company, launched their products internationally, and steered the company towards the internet in 1994, making it the first national magazine on the web. In part, that decision was driven by a desire to engage consumers between the ages of 18 and 29. Citing the cautionary tale of magazines such as Reader's Digest and Life, Hefner says Playboy did not want to fall into the trap of only having an aging consumer base of readers who had grown up with the magazine.
Still, there were missteps. Hefner noted that there was a period when the Playboy brand licensed out its name carelessly in the 70s and 80s, allowing brand-damaging products to appear on the market, like Playboy air fresheners.
As she tried to reposition Playboy, Hefner noted, "a brand should be a theme park, the products are just the souvenirs you take home." Now, Playboy sells almost $750 million in products globally, ranging from bar wear to videogames and cosmetics, with sales concentrated in Asia and Europe. She has also established smart retail partnerships with upscale stores including Kitson in LA and Colette in Paris.
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jason
posted 3/02/08 @ 4:58 AM EST
I think its time to bring the playboy air freshener back.
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