Smut and the Mainstream Search Terms
The creative pornographer knows that smut is all around. There are very few things in life that are so boring or so taboo that two or more mutually consenting adults can’t find a way to turn them into a sex game. The challenge for industry professionals is sometimes to identify or establish trends in order to tap into the potentially lucrative online adult content market that could generate results.Fortunately, the Lycos 50 has been released and contains the 50 most searched words during the past decade. Known for its ability to help forecast trends, the Lycos 50 is often bookmarked by mainstream marketers. Even a brief scan reveals the powerful influence of the world’s fascination with “vice” in its many forms, the least of which involves large breasts and puffy, cock-hungry lips.
Dean Tsouvalas, author of the Lycos 50 list has proclaimed the September 1995 to September 2005 era “The decade of Pam Anderson,” which provides some idea about where America’s mind has been during the past 10 years. Other naughty girls appear on the list, among them the repeatedly married Jennifer Lopez, the virgin turned whore turned married mommy Britney Spears, and the wardrobe malfunctioning, decorative nipple guard wearing Janet Jackson. Tsouvalas considers the top 50 to be “a smart way of understanding the Web, which at times can be intangible.”
Perhaps because of time searchable and perhaps because of genuine preference, tattoos and Las Vegas were more popular during the past decade than was information about September 11 or the war in Iraq. The Bible drew more attention from Lycos visitors than did white rapper Eminem, Star Wars proved more popular than Star Trek, and the Backstreet Boys narrowly edged out marijuana. Throughout the list, the world showed a keen love for information about events filled with intrigue and accompanied by whispers of conspiracy. According to Tsouvalas, those looking to build or promote a brand, launch a viral marketing campaign, or understand the psyche of the online world would do well to take the Lycos 50 seriously. The man behind the list is the personification of self-confidence when he assures readers that, “It’s an accurate pulse of what’s resonating with people today.”
Lycos 50
September 1995 – September 2005
1 Pam Anderson
2 Dragonball
3 Pokemon
4 Britney Spears
5 WWE
6 Tattoos
7 Las Vegas
8 NFL
9 September 11
10 Christmas
11 Princess Diana
12 Jennifer Lopez
13 The Bible
14 Halloween
15 The IRS
16 ‘N Sync
17 Final Fantasy
18 Star Wars
19 Backstreet Boys
20 Marijuana
21 NASCAR
22 Baseball
23 Anna Kournikova
24 Janet Jackson
25 Golf
26 OJ Simpson
27 NBA 28 Tupac
29 Harry Potter
30 The Simpsons
31 Sailor Moon
32 Eminem
33 JonBenet Ramsey
34 Selena
35 Mariah Carey
36 Carmen Electra
37 Howard Stern
38 NASA
39 Christina Aguilera
40 War in Iraq
41 KaZaA
42 Osama bin Laden
43 Madonna
44 Oprah Winfrey
45 Poker
46 Diets
47 Nostradamus
48 Napster
49 JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette
50 Star Trek