What does the sale of the Playboy Mansion do for the Franchise as a whole?

The Playboy franchise remains one of the longest-standing commercial entities in the world, and one that has thrived for nearly five decades. From the famous magazine publication to an iconic range of online Playboy slots, this brand remains popular and easily identifiable to this day.

The franchise was recently the subject of a major upheaval, however, after the Playboy mansion was listed for sale. With a buyer now in place and a deal under contract, it is worth asking what this will mean for one of the world’s most playful and popular brands.

What will happen to Hugh Heffner?

The sale of the property has been shrouded by complexity, with one of the key terms being that Playboy icon Hugh Hefner continues to live in the mansion for the remainder of his life. This has made sourcing a serious buyer more difficult than usual, although the Wall Street Journal revealed last week that the property has been sold for afee in the region of $200 million.

So 89-year old Hefner will continue to reside in the property after the sale has been concluded, although his famous pool parties and group gatherings may be a thing of the past.

It will remain as the creative hub for Hefner and his team, however, suggesting that the Playboy brand will continue as it has for the last 40 years. This also means that the 20,000 square-foot mansion will retain itsstatus as Hefner’s workplace, regardless of what the new buyer ultimately has in mind.

The Bottom Line: What does this mean for the Playboy Brand

In many ways, the mansion embodies that growth that has characterised the Playboy brand since its inception. Now sold for an estimated $200 million, the estate was originally purchased in 1970 for a relatively paltry $1, and this growth cannot solely be accounted for by rising property prices. One of the most value properties in the whole of Los Angeles, it has continued to grow in line with the brand and its commercial output.

In this respect, the Playboy brand is unlikely to be adversely or seriously affected by the sale of the mansion. After all, it will remain the creative hub of lynchpin Hefner, while the franchise will arguably benefit from all of the recent publicity.

Ultimately, the true test for the franchise will come when Hefner eventually passes away, although hopefully this is still a long way in the future.