After months of anticipation, Playboy has finally launched Centerfold, a titillating new app that is widely expected to become the next OnlyFans.
Centerfold is a creator-led platform similar to OnlyFans in which members can post photos and videos of themselves for subscribers to view, like, and interact with the respective models. Centerfold is expected to quickly eclipse OnlyFans given its prestigious association with Playboy. The initial lineup of Centerfold contributors includes Playmates, musicians, and artists. The collection of notable founding creators boasts more than 300 million combined social media followers.
Ahead of the platform’s kickoff, Playboy signed Cardi B as its first-ever creative director in residence for the lifestyle brand. Notable founding Centerfold members include Amanda Cerny, Mia Malkova, and Chasity Samone.
In addition to the most prominent features of the app, Centerfold also includes myriad e-commerce integrations that leverage Playboy’s various business ventures.
Creators and subscribers will be able to tap into Yandy, the popular online lingerie, swimwear, and apparel store, or shop products offered by Honey Birdette, a high-end lingerie brand similar to Victoria’s Secret.
Not stopping there, Playboy previously launched NFTs as part of its digital revolution. The NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are called Ribbitars. They include 3D cartoon bunnies and artwork from Playboy’s vast collection of graphics going all the way back to the brand’s launch in 1953. Some 11,953 pieces of art are stored live on the Ethereum Blockchain and are available on Opensea, a peer-to-peer marketplace for NFTs.
Ben Kohn, Playboy CEO, said of the future of the brand, “Our new creator-led service, Centerfold, will build upon Playboy’s long history providing leading voices with a safe platform for creative expression. Centerfold serves as the home for the world’s top creators to interact directly with their fans and to expand their communities and commerce businesses.”
Playboy emerged from private ownership this past February to once again go public through a SPAC deal. The stock, which trades under the ticker PLBY, is up more than 170% since its launch, with 4 analysts grading the stock a “Buy” and 2 more analysts grading the stock a “Strong Buy.” As of this writing, the stock is trading at $28 with a price target of $48.
Kohn added in his interview, “We’ve been a free-expression platform for 70-plus years for some of the biggest talent in the world and this is that next generation of it. We are looking to not only provide a great platform for talent to work with us, but to then leverage that into a much larger digital membership offering as we move into 2022.”
