: Each year, one model was crowned "Pet of the Year," a title that came with significant publicity and often grueling schedules.
The concept was the brainchild of , a frustrated artist and former Catholic seminarian who launched Penthouse in 1965 in England to fund his art career.
: The Pets were the central weapon in the "magazine wars" between Penthouse and Playboy . By pushing boundaries with more explicit content and a "wilder" image, the Pets helped Penthouse briefly overtake its rival in circulation during the 1970s. Penthouse Pets
The history of is a saga of high-stakes competition, cultural controversy, and an era of unapologetic excess. While often compared to the Playboy Bunnies, the "Pets" represented a more provocative and "voyeuristic" alternative that defined the landscape of adult entertainment for decades. The Vision of Bob Guccione
: This approach proved immensely successful. At its peak, the Penthouse brand was estimated to have earned nearly $4 billion during Guccione's tenure. Life as a Penthouse Pet : Each year, one model was crowned "Pet
Becoming a Penthouse Pet was a gateway to celebrity, often involving high-profile promotional tours and events.
The rise of the Penthouse Pet reflected a radical shift in the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s. By pushing boundaries with more explicit content and
: Unlike Hugh Hefner's "girl next door" style, Guccione’s Pets were often photographed by Guccione himself using a stylized, soft-focus technique. He aimed for a voyeuristic philosophy , posing models as if they were unaware they were being watched—a style he considered the height of eroticism.