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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."
