The Rebel Playboy
And why Hugh Hefner was one of the greatest marketers of our time.
Before you dive into the eye-opening article below, I highly recommend you watch the trailer (below) to American PLAYBOY. This is a 10-part docuseries; an Amazon Original that kept me fascinated second-by-second.
Like the beginning of the trailer says, we all think we know the story; but this riveting series will shed light on how Hef, and his wily-eyed crew of publishing rebels, started with practically nothing and within just a few years started on a path of iconic brand-making stardom.
Truly, without reservation, I can't give this enough thumbs up, as it is one of the most well-done documentaries I've ever seen.
The best part about it is that it recreates some of the most infamous historical moments of our cultural life, starting in the mid 50s — from the social memes of the 'Leave It to Beaver' esk Utopian family... to the controversial people invited into the Playboy Club in Chicago... to the JFK assassination... to the sexual revolution of the 70s and beyond.
It interweaves the first person viewpoint of the protagonist (Hefner, played by Matt Whelan)… with short excerpts from past interviews… to live footage from Hefner's personal archives.
If you want to know what drives a visionary; how one thinks, what keeps them motivated during challenges most would throw in the towel on, then this is the docuseries to watch:
R.I.P. Hugh Hefner — one of the greatest marketers of all time...
The best marketing letter ever written was penned by Hugh Hefner in early 1953.
Hefner sent the letter to persuade the largest newsstand sellers across America to take a chance on selling his new magazine “Stag Party” — the magazine that was to be renamed Playboy just two weeks before launch.
Let’s reveal the 7 compelling reasons why this mailer, by Hefner, was the greatest marketing piece of its time… and, by itself, was responsible for sparking the creation of one of the most recognizable brands in the world:
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