It’s time we had an adult conversation about PornHub’s free pass in ad land / The Drum
Written by Neville Doyle for The Drum. Originally published on July 30, 2020.
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I have a theory. And it’s one that frankly makes me a bit depressed, but makes the most sense to me. We, as an industry, are all too happy to talk about Pornhub’s advertising as it makes us seem edgy and bold – but god forbid that we should ever actually admit to being something who actually watches porn. So, as non-consumers, we can just talk about the brand in abstract terms and focus on the advertising, pretending to be completely oblivious to the realities of the product and to the truly dark and terrifying side that a platform like PornHub actually has.
This is a truly important conversation and a taboo that we all need to get over. Because once you can talk openly about being someone who, on occasion, watches pornography, you can start to talk about all the vastly better ways there are out there to watch it.
There is Bellesa, an ethical porn site created and managed by women. Or, if you want to go direct to creators, Only Fans has seen an explosion of usage in 2020. Or, if you want something that combines both of those, there is Make Love Not Porn, an endeavour from adland great Cindy Gallop that was ahead of its time when it launched in 2012, but has at times struggled to reach as wide an audience as it deserves given the prudish nature of most VC funding. So do what I do. Go somewhere that isn’t despicable in what it puts into the world.
Because, as an industry, we love to talk about brand purpose. And about making the world better. And about how the treatment of women is getting better. And all of that seems to ring very hollow when we lionise a brand and a platform that brings some genuine evil into the world.
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MakeLoveNotPorn.tv 
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