There are countless fans of the Playboy brand who usually ask, “who owns Playboy?”. Playboy is one of the most recognizable brands globally, and it is present on nearly all media platforms. But who owns it?
The owner of Playboy is the PLABY Group. Mountain Crest also owns a large portion of the company. Hugh Hefner is the man behind this brand and launched it in 1953. With the merger of the Hefner empire with the Mountain Crest entertainment empire, Playboy’s value rose to $381million.
What Is Playboy?
Playboy is a US-based entertainment and lifestyle magazine for men previously printed but is now online only. Hugh Hefner founded this company. A thousand-dollar loan from Hugh Hefner’s mother helped fund its founding in 1953 in Chicago.
Playboy was the first magazine to feature naked and semi-naked models in its centerfolds. The company is the most recognizable brand globally that operates in nearly every medium.
Aside from the US edition, Playboy appears in other countries as well. Over the years, Playboy has also published short stories by writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Margaret Atwood, etc.
It became a showcase for cartoonists because it displayed full-page color cartoons regularly. In most cases, the magazine’s editorial stance resembles a liberal one, though the magazine interviews many conservative celebrities.
Who Owns Playboy?
PLBY Group is the owner of Playboy. Mountain Crest also has a lot of shares in the company. Playboy’s value rose to $381million with the merger of Hefner’s empire with Mountain Crest.
The company is now attempting to transition from a men’s lifestyle company to one that sells products related to sexual wellness and clothing. Playboy’s bunny logo appears on lingerie and grooming products, with sales of $3bn annually.
Mount Crest is a company that has been established for a particular purpose. Its sole purpose is to buy a private company to merge with and then take the company public.
It provides a faster path to the public market and has less scrutiny. According to Refinitiv data, Mount Crest has raised close to $41 billion this year, four times more than last year. When Playboys were at their height in 1971, the circulation rate was seven million.
The Playboys 1972 edition was the best-selling, with seven million copies sold. During that time, the magazine was purchased or subscribed to by one-quarter of all American college men.
Conclusion
Playboy is a monthly entertainment and lifestyle magazine for men based in the United States. The magazine Playboy was previously printed but has now gone online.
In 1953, Hugh Hefner launched this publishing company. An initial investment of a thousand dollars made by Hugh Hefner’s mother in 1953 helped fund the company’s founding in Chicago.
There are many platforms under which Playboy operates, yet it is among the most recognizable brands. Though Playboy was quite famous in the 20th century, its popularity has declined.