educational

40-Plus and Fabulous

During the past year or so, the adult entertainment industry has awakened to a truth that much of the mainstream movie and TV audience has known for years: mature women are hot. Not just sexy hot, but sales hot.

Adult videos featuring women on whom time has sketched a few lines — from 30-something on up — have been doing big business. Far from being a new trend sparked by women such as the sexy headliners of "Desperate Housewives," the rush to add or expand mature content is a matter of supply catching up with demand.

"There is no question that the demand has always been there," NicheBucks.com General Manager Clark told XBIZ.

"We've been focused on mature for nearly 10 years and have been very successful at it. I think the last year has simply been the crest of the wave."

The draw of the mature niche, which includes MILF, GILF, older women with specific physical characteristics and fantasy situations set in offices and classrooms, is old news to Nancy M, who launched Grammas.com in 1997 in response to chat room requests. "It was nothing in '97, '98, '99 to get over 100,000 visitors a day," she said.

But the recent rising demand caught some content brokers by surprise. "I'm getting more requests than I've ever gotten for mature content," J$tyle$, owner of the TheContentStore.com, said, adding that he's just now stocking a bunch of mature and MILF titles from hardcore gonzo studio Pandemonium. "The studios I had on the roster didn't do it. I went looking for it because the demand was there."

"It's been a phenomenon to see this kind of growth," Larry Schwarz, public relations director for Red Light District, said. RLD's "Momma Knows Best" series, all released in the past year, are top sellers for the studio.

Part of the appeal, obvious in the MILF label, is an old, old archetype: the attraction between an inexperienced young man and a mature, sexually adept woman who instructs him in lovemaking.

"I think the draw to a sexually experienced mother figure who has retained her looks and sexuality is a real psychological pull for guys and always will be," TopBucks.com marketing director Lea Busick said.

"Some of the most common [reasons for enjoying mature porn] are, 'When I was younger, there was this really hot teacher/friend's mom/lady at the grocery store,' " Nancy M said. "Lots were influenced at a young age by the 'older woman.'"

NicheBucks CEO Gavin Lloyd told XBIZ his affiliate program's flagship mature line, "Aunt Judy's," was named after some informal market research showed that many consumers of older-women content were young men who had reached puberty relatively isolated from girls their age. "The few members of the opposite sex in which he came into contact with tended to be friends or relatives of his parents," Lloyd said.

Styles agreed that for guys in their late teens, "there's always that fantasy about somebody's mom or that woman who's watering her lawn — that's in the spank bank."

That's why "more and more studios are jumping on the bandwagon," Styles said. "They know it converts because that fantasy is so pervasive."

But some of the growth also has to do with a new demographic reality: the graying of the baby-boomer generation.

"As the generation of free love, we're not letting go of our sexuality any time soon," Nina Hartley, a busy performer of MILF and "cougar" roles, said. "We've worked hard at learning to like sex more, being more comfortable in our skin, and we're just coming into our own."

The market for beautiful, airbrushed young women "is oversaturated," director Urbano Martin told The New York Times last December. "This is more normal people, more meat on the bone, like what you have at home."

"The orgasms are more intense, the wrinkles, love handles and other artifacts of life tell a life full of love and loss, and convey more emotion," alt-MILF performer Michelle Aston said. "Bottom line: The viewer can relate to what he or she is looking at."

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

To Cloud or Not to Cloud, That Is the Question

Let’s be honest. It just sounds way cooler to say your business is “in the cloud,” right? Buzzwords make everything sound chic and relevant. In fact, someone uninformed might even assume that any hosting that is not in the cloud is inferior. So what’s the truth?

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Upcoming Visa Price Changes to Registration, Transaction Fees

Visa is updating its fee structure. Effective April 1, both the card brand’s initial nonrefundable application fee and annual renewal fee will increase from $500 to $950. Visa is also introducing a fee of 10 cents for each transaction, and 10 basis points — 0.1% — on the payment volume of certain merchant accounts.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Unpacking the New Digital Services Act

Do you hear the word “regulation” and get nervous? When it comes to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), you shouldn’t worry. If you’re complying with the most up-to-date card brand regulations, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Perils of Relying on ChatGPT for Legal Advice

It surprised me how many people admitted that they had used ChatGPT or similar services either to draft legal documents or to provide legal advice. “Surprised” is probably an understatement of my reaction to learning about this, as “horrified” more accurately describes my emotional response.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Free Agent Auteur: Casey Calvert Expands Her Directing Horizon

Now, having brought that highly-awarded polyamory trilogy to a close, Calvert is concluding the exclusive Lust Cinema directing chapter of her career and charting a new course out into open creative waters as a free agent.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

WIA Profile: Holly Randall

If you’re one of the many regular listeners to Holly Randall’s celebrated podcast, you are already familiar with her charming intro spiel: “Hi, I’m Holly Randall and welcome to my podcast, ‘Holly Randall Unfiltered.’ This is the show about sex, the adult industry and the people in it.

Women In Adult ·
trends

What's Hot Now: Leading Content Players on Trending Genres, Monetization Strategies

The juggernaut creator economy hurtles along, fueled by ever-ascendant demand for personality-based authenticity and intimacy — yet any reports of the demise of the traditional paysite are greatly exaggerated.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

An Ethical Approach to Global Tech Staffing

One thing my 24-year career as a technologist working to support the online adult entertainment industry has taught me about is the power of global staffing. Without a doubt, I have achieved significantly more business success as a direct result of hiring abroad.

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Finding the Right Payment Partner

Whenever I am talking with businesses that are just getting started, one particular question comes up a lot: “How do I get a merchant account?” It’s a simple question, but it has a complicated answer.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Taxman Cometh for Every Business

February may be the month of romance, but it is also a time when we need to think about something that inspires very little love: taxes. April is not far away, and the taxman is always waiting. This year, federal and most state income taxes are due Monday, April 15.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More