Why Some Companies Have Embraced the NSFW OnlyFans Platform

In January, OnlyFans users perusing the platform might have been surprised to find a picture of a hot nude entirely different from the type they were expecting––noodles, covered in spicy chili sauce, dangling from a silver fork. The post, one of a handful from artisanal condiment brand Fly by Jing, leaned all the way into the available wordplay: nudes were noodles, spicy meant mouth-numbing and slurping, well, that was still slurping. The brand is one of a number of enterprising companies to use the platform for marketing purposes, taking full advantage of its free "follow" feature to reach users with a more irreverent breed of content. Since its launch in 2016, OnlyFans has accrued 120 million users and over 1 million content creators. As many as 500,000 new users are registering for the platform every day, and more than 300 content creators have made more than $1 million on the site, according to the company. Its size alone makes the platform an appealing new venture for experimental brands. And while only four brands have begun using the platform in earnest, those numbers are likely to swell in the near future. Carl's Jr. and Hardee's will both be launching on the platform in mid-May to promote a new chicken sandwich product, and Munchies, the food sub-brand of publisher Vice, generated a healthy buzz when it joined in December. Brands get candid Sharing saucy material on the site, which grew to prominence as a hotbed for independent sex workers, has everything to do with brand identity and little to do with generating sales, said Jazlyn Patricio-Archer, head of brand at Fly by Jing. “On OnlyFans, we can be a little bit more candid; things don't have to be as polished,” Patricio-Archer said. “We can connect with fans on it in a different way, with a different tone.” Tim Stokely, chief executive of OnlyFans, has made it no secret that he wants creators of all stripes to find a home on the platform. To that end, the platform has made a number of efforts to attract enterprising creatives, luring such names as rapper Cardi B and actress Bella Thorne to create profiles. Brands were the natural next step. “There's a lot of potential that hasn't been tapped into yet from a brand lens," Stokely told Adweek. “Our team has been having conversations with brands who see value in using OnlyFans as an interactive VIP page or loyalty program where they can share new products first, offer exclusive discount codes, release BTS footage and more.” Brand identity appeal In March, Fly by Jing launched a campaign on OnlyFans to raise money for sex workers in Los Angeles, a decision meant to acknowledge the community that brought the platform to prominence. For every free subscriber they gained, the brand pledged to donate $1 to a grassroots organization supporting the rights and safety of sex workers. So far, the company has donated over $500 to groups like the Sex Workers Outreach Project L.A. “While we’re using this platform to build our community, I want to be respectful of the people who use this platform to sustain their living,” Jing Gao, founder and CEO of the brand, wrote in a post. While some brands have hesitated to use the platform for fear of being associated with sex work, brands that can take the connection in stride have much to gain from doing so, said Mary Keane-Dawson, CEO of influencer marketing agency Takumi. "Brands can play into the 'risk' associated with OnlyFans and introduce playful, tongue-in-cheek content that winks at the notoriety of the platform," Keane-Dawson said. "This means that brands can have a bit more flexibility in their creative brief." This kind of altruism is in keeping with the brand’s presence on the platform where the goal is building an identity rather than generating revenue. “We never wanted our OnlyFans to rake in subscription fees,” Patricio-Archer said. “It was just another way for us to be in touch without having to clog up people's inboxes.” And while the tingling sensation associated with Fly by Jing makes it a perfect fit for brand-safe double entendres, companies embracing the platform come from a variety of backgrounds. German fashion designer Philipp Plein has a page, as does cupcake creator Made by Mae and NSS, a skating and culture magazine. As long as the platform aligns with the image of the brand, they will benefit from a presence on OnlyFans, said David Shadpour, founder and CEO of social media consultancy Social Native. “OnlyFans is not exclusive to adult content,” Shadpour said. “It is a platform for releasing exclusive content on a subscription model.”

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Why Some Companies Have Embraced the NSFW OnlyFans Platform

It opens the door to a massive untapped audience for brands

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