Marketing the Playboy Brand to Children

One of the underlying assumptions of trademark law is that consumers develop strong emotional attachments to words, logos and phrases that have important economic consequences for retail venders. It’s not too difficult to understand why Playboy would use its Playboy “Bunny Logo” on products marketed and sold to children. Given the nature of the products:


(more here), it seems as though they are aimed particularly at girls. Obviously, Playboy thinks that cultivating positive feelings for its logo among girls is a wonderful business model.

“Incurable Hippie” discusses this here, and notes:

The new-ish group, Sheffield Fems, have been running a campaign against WHSmith, John Lewis and Claire’s Accessories, to try and persuade them to stop selling porn advertising to children. Apparently John Lewis and Claire’s Accessories are actually going to do so – which is an amazing achievement and such a brilliantly positive step forward. Neither of them credit Sheffield Fems for having influenced their decision, but I’m sure that this articulate, passionate group of women played a part.

Hooray for Sheffield Fems! And also for Incurable Hippie.

–Ann Bartow