Marc Dorcel: man and producer

Marc Dorcel, producer and broadcaster of adult films, is a world-renowned company. But who is the man who gave birth to a real empire that has become a reference in the world of pleasure? Let’s meet the founder, then the CEO, of this essential French group.

Biography of an entrepreneur

Born on March 27, 1934 in Paris,Marc Dorcel began his professional career as an industrial designer in a in manufacture of sewing machine.

But the routine of a paid job is not enough for this ambitious and intelligent man in search of success. In 1965, he tried his first entrepreneurial adventure by creating Dorcel transport. But this first company failed to find its balance and went bankrupt, prompting the young entrepreneur to rebound.

In 1968, Marc Dorcel entered the eroticism market with the creation of a publishing house dedicated to erotic works sold by mail order. In the midst of a liberation from morals, success was immediately apparent: his book, Ursula , has quickly sold several thousand copies.

This visionary quickly became aware of the evocative power of the image by launching into the then booming photo novel market. Marc Dorcel was responsible for the publication of the first colour photo novel in France.

The arrival in homes of the first video recorders heralds a new market: that of adult video, adopting film as a format. The “Vidéo Marc Dorcel” brand was created in 1979 to take advantage of this opportunity and an X film was made in 1980: Jolies Petites Garces.

Marc Dorcel from charm to pleasure

Marc Dorcel benefits from the strong development of X video and he’s quickly established as the main player in this market in France. The activity integrates the entire value chain around the production, but also the distribution on VHS cassettes of a large catalogue of videos for adults. The many films are also available for rent in video stores, contributing to the brand’s popularity.

The company is rapidly evolving and adapting to technological developments. The company quickly adopted DVD media, offering both better quality and a longer life span.

Internet and video-on-demand

Marc Dorcel and his son Gregory are renowned for their ability to analyze and anticipate market developments. Since 1996, the company has been investing in the web with the creation of the Dorcel.com website.

Anticipating the meltdown of DVD industrie, with the development of high-speed Internet and video-on-demand, Gregory and Marc Dorcel launched a VOD platform in 2002. The service will be a rapid success, with a turnover already reaching 3 million euros only five years later. Customers are able to create their accounts directly and benefit from on-demand or subscription access.

The potential of e-commerce did not escape these precursors: Marc Dorcel launched Dorcelstore.com in 2006, an online store offering many products and accessories dedicated to the world of sex and pleasure.

The recognition of female pleasure also attracts Gregory’s attention: Marc Dorcel launched Dorcelle.com in 2012 a women’s dedicated website.

Xillimité, launched in 2014, represents a real revolution. This subscription-based video streaming platform provides unlimited access to a rich catalogue of several thousand adult films, bringing together producers, directors and actresses from all over the world.

Dorcel at the time of diversification

The Internet is not the only sector that Marc Dorcel Company is interested in. The brand is embarking on an ambitious diversification strategy.

The television channel Dorcel TV was launched in 2006. It is available on cable and satellite, but also on the Internet thanks to the development of broadband.

2006 is an important date for the brand with the opening of a Dorcel Store sex shop in Lanester. This first establishment was followed by others: in 2019, the brand operates 10 stores in France, with a concept that has evolved over the years: the Lovestore of Tours, opened in 2019, was designed as a store dedicated to adult entertainment, far from the sometimes outdated image of the traditional sex shop.

Marc Dorcel, who was initially successful thanks to the publication of erotic magazines and photo novels, is back on this market with the launch in 2008 of his adult magazine.

The Marc Dorcel company: key dates

• 1934 : birth in Paris of the founder, Marc Dorcel
• 1968 : creation of Select Diffusion, an erotic publishing house distributed by mail order
• 1979 : launch of VMD or Vidéo Marc Dorcel, a film production company
• 1980 : release of the film Jolies Petites Garces
• 1996 : launch of the Dorcel.com website
• 2002 : launch of a VOD platform on the Internet
• 2006 : launch of the Dorcelstore.com e-commerce site
• 2006 : launch of Dorcel TV, a cable, satellite and online television channel
• 2006 : opening of the first physical store in Lanester
• 2008 : publishing of an adult magazine Dorcel Mag
• 2012 : Launch of Dorcelle.com, one of the first women’s X sites
• 2014 : opening of Xillimité, a video streaming service with unlimited access
• 2015 : presentation of one of the first pornographic films in virtual reality
• 2016 : creation of its sound identity
• 2019 : The brand celebrates its fortieth anniversary and opens the dorcelstore in Tours

A bold communication strategy

Challenging codes, Marc Dorcel regularly surprises the media and the general public with his communication campaigns.

To celebrate the first anniversary of its Xillimité video streaming platform, Marc Dorcel is offering free and unlimited access to its entire catalogue for one week in 2014. The only constraint? Hold down the A, S, P and L keys on his keyboard, which forces users to sacrifice their hands and focus only on their screen. The operation, soberly entitled #handsoff ( #sanslesmains in French), was reported by many media outlets.

The group continues to attract attention with bold and spicy operations. Latest in 2019, in partnership with French rap singer Lorenzo, Marc Dorcel offers, for example, an account with a lifetime subscription and unlimited access to content broadcast online.

Marc Dorcel… And tomorrow?

Forty years of reign in the adult sector have not blunted the company’s ambitions, as it continues to reinvent itself to meet the expectations of its men .. customers… and women customers !

Focusing on innovation and the ability to keep pace with trends, the brand has established itself over the years, both among consumers and professionals. Nevertheless, it remains committed to its values, with the production of quality content. The presence of the headquarters in Paris, the birthplace of the founder, also demonstrates this desire for sustainability.

Marc Dorcel’s content, actresses and actors have been awarded multiple times and have won numerous prizes at Xbiz Awards, AVN Awards and Hot d’Or ceremonies.

With a turnover of nearly 38 million euros in 2018 and a distribution in more than 70 countries, the Dorcel group still has many years of activity ahead of it in the field of lust and pleasure.