Playboy TV reveals its chief and agencies

The Playboy Channel has poached a rival’s marketing director and appointed Saatchi & Saatchi and Equinox Communications to handle the 2m launch.

Jessica Cox, marketing director at TNT and Cartoon Network, is to join the company as marketing director. She will work with managing director Rita Lewis to develop the details of its launch strategy.

Saatchi won the creative work following a pitch against Bean MC and Harari Page.

Equinox was appointed to handle media planning and buying last month. It also sat in on the second round of creative pitches, after developing the channel’s strategic positioning.

The soft-porn channel is aiming at mainstream adult viewers – unlike niche-oriented porn channels such as TV-X and Adult Channel.

Playboy also plans to promote itself as a couples’ channel by “spicing up your love life”.

The channel believes its mainstream positioning, and the inclusion of female partners in the purchasing decision, will make it easier for local cable companies to sell it.

The October launch campaign will use women’s magazines, men’s style magazines, posters and ads on cable and satellite.

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