Ah the annual SI Swimsuit edition.  Beautiful women wearing next to nothing in some of the most picturesque places on the globe all wrapped up into one magazine.  Formula to make endless streams of money, right?  Well apparently that’s only the start.  This year SI expanded their business model for the famed issue to include YouTube, jets and Las Vegas.  Ok, the last one was a no brainer but the first two as well as the other tactics they’ve incorporated are proving to be very smart and very lucrative. 

The jet is a Southwest Airlines with the image of cover girl Bar Refaeli emblazoned on the side.  The airline has agreed to partner with SI by flying VIPs to a launch party in Vegas.  Countless parties and events will take place there including swimsuit models in race cars. 

YouTube will carry videos of the models on location in the Canary Islands and Naples, Italy.  A behind the scenes of sorts.  Not bad considering the audience and global reach that YouTube brings to the equation.

So all just a ploy to get swimsuit models in front of us 24/7?  Maybe.  But its also not too shabby for the edition’s bottom line.  Its reported that 40% of the revenue generated by the issue will come from digital and event-marketing initiatives.  Not bad considering that that number was just 4% four years ago. 

I think someone at SI has figured out the magic formula.

Eric