Pornhub offers 'Big Package' for SMEs spanked by Covid

SMEs which have been pounded by the Covid-19 pandemic are being offered helping hand by Pornhub, with the launch of a new scheme offering one billion ad impressions worth of free ad space on the site that attracts 120 million unique visitors a day.

The Pornhub Big Package for Small Businesses is open to 100 businesses with fewer than 100 staff, with each ad being created by the company’s incumbent agency Officer & Gentleman.

To kick start the initiative, Pornhub has created a promotional spot featuring the owners of 10 small businesses in some of the cities most affected by the pandemic: Rio de Janeiro, Milan, Madrid, Tokyo and New York, featuring a florist, a restaurant, a jeweller, a barbershop and even a karaoke bar.

In addition, Pornhub will be promoting selected businesses on their social media channels, including Instagram, where the brand has over 10 million followers.

Pornhub vice-president Corey Price said: “We noticed that when it comes to which businesses are more easily bouncing back from the pandemic – size matters – and over 100,000 small businesses have already permanently closed due to coronavirus.

“Our ‘Big Package’ gives small businesses the opportunity to gain the exposure they deserve during the pandemic. Bolstering an eclectic user base made up of various demographics, businesses that advertise with us are not only able to connect with their target audience, but enhance their overall brand visibility – especially during this time when the world is more digitally connected than ever.”

Officer & Gentleman co-founder Alex Katz added: “Small businesses have always been the backbone of the world’s economy. Unfortunately though, they’ve been amongst the hardest hit by the growing recession.

“While large companies have deep enough pockets to weather the storm or to invest in enough advertising to continue attracting new customers, mom and pops just don’t have that luxury. And with much of the economic stimulus money ending up in the hands of the big guys, it’s the tiny ones that can use some help in the growth department, which is something Pornhub knows a thing or two about.”

Not that all brands will be gagging for it. Unilever was forced to make a hasty withdrawal from advertising on Pornhub last year, after an exposé in The Sunday Times claimed the site was hosting indecent images of kids.

The company behind Dove, Marmite and Hellmann’s ran an ad campaign on Pornhub for male grooming brand Dollar Shave Club under the strapline: “If you use our bathroom products you won’t have to visit this site as much.”

Kraft Heinz, however, stood firm on its decision to have run a homepage takeover in January last year for a one-day #FoodPorn campaign to promote US frozen food brand Devour. At the time, it said: “The brand was explicitly talking about #Foodporn, which has become a cultural phenomenon on Instagram.”