• by Karl Greenberg , October 8, 2014

Adult site PornHub.com launched a campaign a couple of months ago to find a creative director. Yes, this might just be the first adult site to come out of the closet and run an ad campaign including a billboard in New York’s Times Square. But the salacious will get no satisfaction. 

The 54'-by-48' billboard on 47th and 7th just below a Stoli billboard (no connection, although one supposes there could be) features the winning creative, which shows the PornHub.com logo in the middle of the shape of a heart made with two cupped hands. The tag: "All You Need is Hand," referencing the Beatles.

The effort includes a video featuring the Gotham Rock Choir singing a version of the Beatles anthem with a word changed here and there. Corey Price, VP of PornHub, answers Marketing Daily’s burning questions. 

Note: this interview was done on Tuesday. On Wednesday the billboard was taken down because the hotel carrying the structure demanded it be removed. "We are looking for an alternate location for final approval to relocate the ad," said a spokesperson.

Q: Why is PornHub advertising in the first place? Does it need to, given what I'm assuming is a huge audience already?

A: This advertising initiative is the culmination of our Creative Ad Director search contest. When we got the word out about that, we made sure to stress that the winner will be able to see their campaign in the mainstream. Other than the fulfillment of that agreement, we set out to hit mainstream ad channels as a way to reinforce our brand awareness in the market. 

Q: Were there people who questioned the wisdom of doing this? 

A: There were people who doubted that it would be possible, but we sought to change that. In addition, this is another piece of the puzzle for us to ultimately continue to push the general porn conversation into the casual stream of mind. And this isn’t only a campaign to advertise ourselves, but it’s also a symbolic gesture to show that if we’re able to shatter preconceptions and make our way onto a billboard in one of the most heavily trafficked locations in the world; there’s no need to hide, no need to be afraid of something that everyone does when they're alone --  look at porn.

Q: What are audience demographics?

A: We can’t really say that we’re looking to limit ourselves into any certain demographic, and we’re targeting anyone that wants to hop on the site and view -- given, of course, that said users are of age. Anyone under 18 is strictly prohibited. That said, while our viewers skew more toward younger (18-35) males, it’s certainly common knowledge that everyone looks at porn; it’s something we’ve proven with our own data.

Q: Who's the person/agency who made the winning art?

A: The ad campaign/artwork was actually created by the winner of our Creative Ad Director contest, Nuri Gulver –a copywriter at a Turkish ad agency.

Q: Are there other components of the campaign and where they are running?

A: This campaign is going to be a national activation, starting, of course, with this billboard. While I can’t divulge too many details at the moment surrounding other placement until contractual paperwork has been finalized, we’re already approaching final talks with a number of high-profile magazines, their online components, and other high-impact outdoor opportunities around the United States and worldwide.

Q: Is PornHub expecting municipal pushback on this from any of the target markets ?

A: Not at all. We’re going through all of the appropriate legal, financial, and contractual steps to make sure that our campaign adheres to municipal stipulations and doesn’t violate any laws. 

Q: Worried about the public calumny?

A: As far as whether or not there may be public reproach, who knows? Porn has always been a touchy subject (no pun intended) with certain constituent groups, and while everyone’s entitled to their opinion, as long as we aren’t committing any sort of violations, we don’t plan on stopping our push moving forward.

Q: What's PornHub's revenue stream? Are there premium subscriptions or is it all ads?

A: Our site’s revenue is entirely ad-based through the TrafficJunky ad network.

Q: Is the timing of this campaign significant in terms of something new the site is doing?

A: The timing of our ad placement isn’t directly meant to coincide with any specific event, but is actually part of a timeline/plan that’s been in the works since the winner of the Creative Ad Director contest was chosen. However, the ad’s placement is a funny coincidence in the sense that it has been unveiled during a time when we’re certainly branching out into more mainstream endeavors, so I’m sure it’ll help on those fronts as well.