Playboy Relaunches with Celebrity Focus, Faces Credibility Test

Donna D'Errico, a "Baywatch" actress, posed for Playboy in 1995 and thought it would be cool to do it again.

Playboy is back with a focus on storytelling and prestige alongside its nude images.

Over 70 years after Hugh Hefner started the magazine, new editor Philip Picardi and president David Miller are reviving it for a changing audience.

Playboy relaunched in April with Karol G on the cover, followed by a sold-out print run and a new issue with Cara Delevingne.

Holly Madison said the Playboy Mansion felt like a safe place after she experienced Hollywood's dark side.

Adrienne Uthe, founder of Kronus Communications, said Playboy must evolve to survive.

Hugh Hefner created the Playboy Bunny, a trained cocktail waitress, in 1960.

Uthe said Playboy must carry its iconic core into a new context that makes sense today.

Cara Delevingne warned about drug addiction after her own terrifying experience.

Picardi said focusing on storytelling is key to Playboy's revival.

Uthe said Playboy knows what it is, but must translate that into something the market is ready for.

Picardi said there's a difference between Playboy and today's prevalent porn, and he wants to bring back artfulness to nudity.

Playboy features Playmates and photoshoots online and on social media, with cover stars involved in the creative process.

Donna D'Errico said Playboy rejected her 30 years after her provocative cover.

Picardi said Playboy's approach to nudity lets women decide how much to show, making them feel liberated.

Carmen Electra shared what men should avoid when pursuing older women.

Picardi said when women have permission to make choices on set, they often show more than expected.

Playboy was once a very influential print publication.

Uthe agreed that power dynamics are still at play, but with unbalanced scales.

Uthe said cultural headwinds are real, but not as strong as people think, and OnlyFans shows the appetite for adult content didn't disappear.

The appetite for adult content moved to platforms where women hold power.

A Playboy model said OnlyFans is no competition for the magazine.

Uthe said Playboy's challenge is credibility, not the market, and it must convince a new generation of its authenticity.

Celebrity partnerships are critical, but only work if the alignment is real.

Uthe said the challenge is credibility, and Playboy must show, not tell, its value.

Hugh Hefner launched Playboy in the 1950s.

Uthe said partnerships, like with Karol G and Cara Delevingne, are positioning signals and must embody what Playboy is becoming.

Partners must represent what Playboy stands for, not just lend their audience.

Holly Madison admitted to not liking some bedroom activities with Hugh Hefner.

Despite interest in a new version of Playboy, the brand faces an uphill battle.

Uthe said Playboy should show, not tell, and there's something worth saving in its cultural footprint and iconography.

The Playboy Club launched in Chicago in 1960 and expanded to 33 locations.

Uthe said brands that survive stop defending their legacy and start building the next chapter.

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The print magazine went quarterly in 2019 and shuttered in 2020, but special issues were released before a new team took over.

In 2025, the company made $120.9 million, with a net loss of $12.7 million.

Dolly Parton posed as a Playboy bunny in 1978.

Pamela Anderson holds the record for most Playboy cover appearances with 14.

Miller said there's interest in reviving Playboy parties and events, but they must be respectful and modern.

Media executive Derek Reisfield said Hefner was creative about brand growth and distribution.

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Reisfield said Hefner's brand growth included licensing, which is almost pure profit, and enabled them to get into filmed entertainment.

Anna Nicole Smith was a Playmate of the Year.

Reisfield said the internet killed Playboy's business model with accessible and cheap pornography.

Playboy is trying to figure out how to thrive in a new world with easily accessible adult content.

Celebrities and earned media are driving the business, but it's a difficult positioning for the publication.

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Reisfield said Playboy must do extensive research to understand its customer and find an opening for its heritage.

The brand must be true to what people believe it is.

Tracy Wright is an entertainment reporter for Fox News Digital.

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