Girls Gone Wild | |
---|---|
Created by | Joe Francis |
Original work | DVD |
Films and television | |
Film(s) | Over 300 films 1997–2011 |
Girls Gone Wild (GGW) was an adult entertainment franchise created by Joe Francis in 1997, [1] who occasionally appears as the host of the videos.
Girls Gone Wild was known for its early use of direct-response marketing techniques, including its late-night infomercials that began airing in 1997. [2] The videos typically involve camera crews at party locations engaging young college-aged women who expose their bodies or act "wild", especially during Spring break. [1] Since 2008, the Girls Gone Wild products have been sold primarily through their website as streaming videos, downloads, and DVDs.
In February 2013, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [3]
In 2014, the company was sold to Bang Bros. [4]
The first Girls Gone Wild film was released in 1997. [5] In 2001 the company sold 4.5 million videos and DVDs. [2] [6] By the end of 2002, the company had produced 83 different titles and had begun airing 30-minute infomercials on E! Entertainment Television, Fox Sports Net, BET, Comedy Central, Tech TV, Style, and all other major U.S. networks. [2] The infomercials targeted a late-night channel-surfing demographic that Joe Francis had identified in the late 1990s. [2] According to TNS Media Intelligence, Girls Gone Wild spent more than $21 million in advertising in 2003, becoming the largest advertiser for programs on the E! channel. In 2008, Francis' net worth was approximately $150 million. [7]
Instances of Girls Gone Wild in popular culture include the appearance of Eminem and Snoop Dogg in the company's videos, [1] [2] as well as various references and parodies of the show in popular television series and movies. MGM announced in 2002 that it would release a feature-length film based on the Girls Gone Wild concept. [1] [8]
Most Girls Gone Wild videos follow a common formula in which a film crew interacts with a large crowd of people either at a party, club, or other event. [6] Women willingly take off their clothes, engage in sexual activities, or participate in wet T-shirt contests. [2] [6] Compensation for taking part in a Girls Gone Wild video often consists of a free hat, T-shirt, or money. [6] Occasionally, participants are invited to be filmed on a Girls Gone Wild tour bus. [1] [2] [9]
At its inception, Girls Gone Wild marketed its product, namely videos, through direct-distribution channels such as infomercials, pay-per-view, and video on demand. [1] [2] [6] [10] [11] This distribution was followed in 2008 by the launch of a Girls Gone Wild magazine, a clothing line, and a compilation record released on Jive Records. [1] [6] [10]
In September 2005, Girls Gone Wild announced that it would donate all proceeds of Mardi Gras–themed DVDs and videos to the Red Cross. [12] Proceeds from the video sales, which included a title featuring Snoop Dogg, were intended to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. [12]
In 2004, Girls Gone Wild began soliciting men for participation in their videos. [1] Guys Gone Wild was a video series and male analogue of Girls Gone Wild targeted at young women. [13] These video tapes and DVDs featured much the same content as the Girls equivalent, only instead showing young men performing for the camera—e.g., in the shower, playing football naked, etc. [14]
In an article, [15] Bill Horn, spokesman for Mantra Entertainment which produced the videos, notes a gender-related double standard in these videos. In the Girls Gone Wild series, sometimes the young women kiss, while the guys' series does not have that feature. Horn explains: "Let's face it, there's a double standard when it comes to guy-on-guy as opposed to girl-on-girl. It's sexy to see two girls making out. It's not considered sexy to see two guys making out. That's just the reality, and, we were there to capture the reality." [16]
The hour-long Guys Gone Wild productions featured women camera operators who encouraged men to get naked and perform strip teases. [13]
In 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint against Girls Gone Wild alleging that the company failed to notify customers when they purchased subscriptions under a continuity program, rather than single DVDs. [17] In 2004, GGW settled for $1.1 million and agreed to disclose all terms and get consent for recurring charges. [18]
In 2006, Girls Gone Wild marketer MRA Holdings pleaded guilty to charges for failing to record the ages of its subjects 2002 and 2003. [19] The parties agreed to pay $2.1 million in restitution and fines. [19]
In 2008, Ashley Dupré filed against Joe Francis and other defendants claiming that they filmed her without consent. [20] [21] She later dropped the suit, commenting through her attorney that she wanted to focus on positive opportunities in her life. [22]
In 2008, a Missouri woman claimed that she was filmed without consent when a Girls Gone Wild contractor removed her halter top at a St. Louis bar. [23] A jury found that she consented. On re-trial, a judge awarded the woman $5.77 million after the defense failed to show at court. [24] On appeal, the judge upheld the verdict. [25]
In March 2008, four women claimed that they suffered emotional distress by being shown in Girls Gone Wild film. [26] In April 2011, an all-female jury declined to award damages to the plaintiffs. [26] However, in January 2015, Francis agreed to settle a separate 2003 lawsuit which involved allegations of him taping the exposed breasts of underage girls as part of Girls Gone Wild content. [27] The 2015 civil settlement also involved Francis agreeing to serve 336 days in jail after accepting a no contest plea to criminal charges of child abuse and prostitution. [27]
In 2013, GGW Brands LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. [3] [28]
An episode of the TNT true crime anthology series Rich & Shameless called "Girls Gone Wild Exposed" aired on TNT on April 23, 2022, and featured accounts from alleged victims of Joe Francis who were employed for Girls Gone Wild. [29] [30]