In an effort to overcome recent declines in TV and magazine revenue, Playboy will now do business in two distinct spheres of operation. The media division, which Meyers will head, will oversee the creation and distribution of all content. The licensing group, which Alex Vaickus continues to helm, will focus on leveraging the company’s brands and assets.
Meyers, who will oversee the publishing and entertainment operations as part of the newly formed media group, joins Playboy with a range of mainstream experience, most recently serving as vice president of digital media at Westwood One. Prior to that, Meyers worked for nine years at NBC Universal.
"With the accelerating pace of change in the media business, we were particularly pleased to find an executive whose breadth of expertise includes both TV and online and who has both operating and development experience,” Playboy Entertainment Group CEO Christie Hefner said. “The global popularity of the Playboy brand and Playboy-style content creates significant opportunities for us in terms of both the creation of cross- platform initiatives and the integration of content assets. We believe that Bob can contribute meaningfully to our digital growth prospects.”
Both Meyers and Vaickus will report directly to Hefner.
"I am very excited about working for a company with such a powerful global brand and mix of successful and fast-growing media businesses," Meyers said.
According to Hefner, the two-pronged approach to reorganizing the company will allow Playboy to better streamline operations and take advantage of an established, marketable brand.
"Licensing remains the other major growth opportunity,” Hefner said. “Under Alex's direction, it has become our fastest-growing and highest-margin profit center and we are pleased with the continued growth of our merchandising and retail businesses as well as the excitement being created by the opening next month of our first location-based entertainment venue, which is based at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.”
