5. Playboy Magazine Premieres in 1953
In 1953, Hugh Hefner founded Playboy Magazine. He had served in World War II, and he knew how much men loved pinup model photos. When they returned home from the war, it was very difficult for men to buy that kind of material, and it was illegal to send through the mail. All magazines geared towards men were about hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. Publishing such a racy magazine was risky, but Hefner knew it would be a success, because there was a huge demand for it.
In the very first issue of Playboy Magazine, Hefner purchased the photo of Marilyn Monroe’s nude pin-up from a calendar company. This was a legendary picture that nearly every man had heard of, but very few had actually seen, so they were dying to get their hands on it. Not surprisingly, the magazine sold like hot cakes, and it has been a huge success ever since. Eventually, many models would consider Playboy to be the highlight of their careers.