The size of the business, round 35

We're always trying to determine the size of the market. We employ statisticians, educated guesses, and benchmark Cutter & Buck, the only company (that I know) that states in its SEC filings the percentage of its total business (44.9% in 2005) done by its Corporate Division.

To that end, consider this quote:

"Everybody lies about their numbers. Almost every year I want to abandon our survey [of the industry]. It's a lot of work for an estimate."


Who said that? PPAI? IMA? ASI? The Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement?


No. It was Paul Fishbein. Publisher of....Adult Video News, in response to a question about the size of the Porn business.

Looks like we're not alone in trying to figure out the size of the playing field. And contrary to some views, Size DOES matter--it adds legitimacy and relative importance to what we do for a living. Or, it takes it away.

Fishbein goes on to say that the vast majority of companies that produce pornographic content are privately held—and have little incentive to accurately report their earnings. Wouldn't that describe most of the Promotional Products Suppliers? And the Brands bury their Special Markets numbers in other Divisions' reporting, so there's no clear picture there either.

Who would have thought we have so much in common with the Porn business?


Pete