MSN Looks at Ashley Madison

TORONTO — In a piece entitled "When cheating on your spouse is big business," MSN Money has taken a look at adult dating service AshleyMadison.com and its head man, Noel Biderman.

According to its website, MSN.ca Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas.

The article describes Ashley Madison as earning "tens of millions" in annual revenue and cites Biderman's appearance on television shows such as CNN, The View, Dr. Phil and The Tyra Banks Show, along with its "extensive media coverage in various large circulation newspapers."

"Why the fuss?" Author Kerry Gold asks, concluding that "Ashley Madison is aimed squarely at helping married people have affairs, complete with an 'affair guarantee' that will refund you your money if you don't find someone in the first three months."

Gold examined the company's balancing act of striving for profitability from its more than 4.5 million users in the face of declining advertising revenues due to arbitrary moral concerns, which are reportedly hampering the company's growth.

One surprise revelation is that Biderman is a happily married family man who would be "devastated" if his wife was unfaithful — a seemingly contradictory attitude for a marketer that proclaims "Life is short. Have an affair."

"I am not someone who comes in with a big open T-shirt and chains and plays the pimp type personality," Biderman said. "I myself am a happily married man who chose to pursue this because I came across great data. I thought, 'Wouldn't a service for people who are attached work?'"

Instead, Biderman found a female-friendly website name and focused on attracting women, who make up around 30 percent of the overall audience.

Despite the promise of a "guaranteed affair," however, it seems that not everyone is in love with Ashley Madison; as its ad revenues are showing.

"It's one or two individuals at the policy or executive level saying, 'I don't like that business.' I have never had anyone say, 'Great, we would like your ads,'" Biderman said. "It's to the point where I've had newspapers on the verge of bankruptcy [refuse] to take my dollars."

"If I could trade the ability to market freely — the way eharmony or match.com does — we would have $100 million [in annual revenues] with 20 million members," Biderman added. "I'd rather have that than the publicity."

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 News

2024 Pornhub Awards Winners Announced

Winners of the 2024 Pornhub Awards were announced this morning.

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

Creator stats and affiliate marketing platform FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

FSC, Co-Plaintiffs to Ask US Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Texas Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and its co-plaintiffs in the challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law have petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to stay its recent decision upholding the law, because they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality.

FSC Vows to Fight Florida Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement vowing to continue fighting Florida’s new age verification law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as part of a comprehensive bill targeting minors’ use of social media.

Kansas Republican Aims to Create New Bureaucracy to 'Investigate' Porn Websites

Republican state legislators succeeded Monday in moving forward Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite serious concerns raised by House Democrats about the cost of establishing a new bureaucracy tasked with investigating websites for pornographic content.

SK Intertainment Launches 'Skinfluential Management' Agency, FansFuel Joint Venture

Mr. Skin/Mr. Man parent company SK Intertainment has launched new creator agency Skinfluential Management, as well as a new joint venture with Showbizz Media's creator stats and affiliate marketing platform, FansFuel.

Show More