‘A very specific kind of fantasy.”
That’s how Gregory Dorcel describes his company’s offerings.
If we want porn and adult content to always be accessible to a large audience, the content has to be responsible.
“Whether reflected in the storyline or the cast or even the locations, the entertainment we deliver is based on fantasy,” he elaborates. “Our business is not, and never has been, reality. People who are buying our content aren’t expecting reality, or direct contact with stars like you can have with OnlyFans,” he says.
Of course, plenty of people are also frequenting OnlyFans and other premium social media platforms, but Dorcel doesn’t see his company as “competing” with those sites. If anything, he views them as an opportunity for everyone involved, since the platforms funnel talent to Dorcel and other studios.
“It’s perfectly complementary,” he observes. “The studios can discover new talent, the models can generate bigger revenue if they’re linked to adult studios, and the audience can have different kinds of experiences. Because the models already have a fan base, your movies can be more successful. This helps to create famous names — who can then go on to star in our blockbusters. So it’s beneficial for the whole industry.”
Dorcel’s most recent blockbusters have included “Casino Endgame,” “Alive” and “Thr3e,” which won Best Glamcore Sex Scene at the 2024 XMA Europa Awards.
The erotic fantasies Dorcel produces are frequently lauded as “stylish” and “chic.” Dorcel himself describes the brand as “deeply rooted in the culture of fantasy and pleasure.”
“Our unique positioning is one of sexual freedom, but always with a focus on elegance and sophistication,” he says.
Dorcel is fine with most labels — as long as nobody mistakes the studio’s works for soft porn.
“We don’t think that we have to be soft,” he explains. “We can be really sexually oriented, but it can be elegant rather than vulgar. It can be sexy and it can be naughty and it can be perverse, without being violent.”
According to Dorcel, the studio’s approach is quite simple: Understand the markets and listen to the audience.
“We place a high value on customer feedback, conducting regular qualitative studies, surveys and roundtable discussions to understand their needs and preferences,” he notes. “This process helps us anticipate trends and identify areas for improvement in our products and services. We also engage with B2B partners to understand the broader market dynamics, ensuring that our content and product offerings align with customer demands while pushing the boundaries of what’s expected in the industry.”
This process has yielded insights that have guided the company’s direction in terms of production and marketing.
“A little more than 50% of the people who buy our content would like to watch it with their partner,” he shares by way of example. “So, we are particularly committed to creating offerings that are appealing to both women and men, and catering more to couples. This evolution is central to our strategy moving forward.
“But our overall aim has always remained the same: to reach the largest audience possible,” he says. “The way we do that is by producing premium content with a storyline — not just all-sex. That’s been a good strategy, which is why our investment in this kind of content grows year after year.”
‘Respect the Customer’
Gregory Dorcel learned the ropes from his father, Marc Dorcel, who founded the company in 1979. He didn’t originally plan to join the family business, however.
“Joining Dorcel was never planned, and my father never expected it,” he recalls. “Initially, I wanted to work in the audiovisual sector, and I ended up at Dorcel by sheer coincidence. What was supposed to be a brief summer internship turned into a career after I helped launch a successful project.”
As it turned out, the company offered a unique level of freedom, opportunities for personal growth and access to a market ripe for innovation — all elements that appealed to the younger Dorcel.
“It became the perfect place for me to express myself creatively, and this is the spirit we try to foster for all the young people who join our team,” he says.
Dorcel took over as CEO in 2003. Among the words of wisdom the elder Dorcel imparted to his son, the lesson that still resonates loudest for Gregory Dorcel, more than 20 years later, is “Respect the customer.”
“We put a high value on our customers and fight each day to deliver the best product we can,” he says. “You become respected in our industry by being respectful.”
Though Marc Dorcel is no longer involved on a day-to-day basis in running the company that bears his name, his son describes him as the company’s mascot — the person who embodies its spirit and values.
“For us, he’s a little bit of a guiding light,” Dorcel says of his father, whom he hails as “a true artisan, emphasizing the highest standards in both content creation and adult products.”
“Just by being here and coming to our events or into the office sometimes, he reminds us that we have to maintain his values as a craftsman and stay committed to delivering the best quality content, products and services that we can to our customers,” Dorcel adds.
Today, responsibility for achieving that goal falls upon the company’s three key divisions: retail, media, and cross-functional services.
“Each division plays a crucial role, from managing our retail operations, online presence and content production to handling finance, HR and marketing,” Dorcel explains. “Our team works collaboratively, ensuring that all our efforts contribute to offering premium, positive experiences for our customers worldwide. While it’s a challenge to align such varied departments, everyone at Dorcel is united by our shared values and our mission: to create and provide pleasure.”
Milestones Achieved, Challenges Faced
Asked to name some of the company’s most significant accomplishments over the decades, Dorcel cites the launch of Dorcelvision in 2002 — Europe’s first adult VOD service — as well as the premiere of its linear TV channel in 2006, followed the same year by the opening of its first Dorcelstore.
Another source of pride is Dorcel having been honored for creativity and innovation, winning the Cannes Lions Gold award in 2015 for its #HandsOff campaign and receiving the “Trophée de l’Innovation” in 2024 for the design of its “Calendrier des Plaisirs,” a limited-edition pleasure products collection.
Of course, Dorcel has also faced plenty of challenges over the years. One of the most significant: navigating changing technologies, evolving cultural norms and shifting legal landscapes while maintaining the company’s core values.
“As a company that has grown across different countries and market conditions, staying true to our mission and brand while adapting to these shifts is a constant balancing act,” he shares. “Ensuring that Dorcel remains relevant and continues to lead the adult industry in terms of quality and ethical standards has been a challenge that I’ve embraced wholeheartedly.”
Divide and Conquer
In 2006, Gregory Dorcel led the company’s expansion into retail.
“We wanted to move beyond just content and create a full lifestyle experience for our customers,” he explains. “By offering premium quality products in an inviting environment, we aim to make sexual well-being accessible to everyone, helping them freely explore their desires.”
Today, Dorcel’s core business is divided into two divisions: a media division that manages and distributes content, and a retail division that includes a line of pleasure products. Between its network of retail stores and various operations in France, Hungary and the Netherlands, the company currently boasts approximately 140 employees.
Even working at that scale, Dorcel says, he still works closely with the company’s creative teams, though he is able to delegate much of the day-to-day product development.
“We have young, dynamic teams that are very in tune with societal trends, and highly experienced professionals who manage content creation and product development, including sex toys, lingerie and lubricants,” he says. “I oversee the process to ensure that all products stay aligned with our brand’s image and values. While I provide guidance and strategic input, I trust my teams to carry out the vision with full creative freedom.”
Now that Dorcel has been in the retail business for the better part of 20 years, the company has established a major foothold in the European market.
“We have developed a strong network of stores in France, where we have 20 stores in addition to our online shop, which is now one of the largest, at least in Europe,” says Dorcel. “We’re very proud of that. Moreover, we have developed a line of sex toys that is becoming more and more successful.
“We’re also pleased with the specific voice that Dorcel has cultivated globally: to be sexually explicit, but always elegant,” he notes. “This applies to both our content and our retail business. Customers have been waiting for sexually oriented products that are elegant, and that’s exactly how we’ve positioned Dorcel. I think we have a very good image within the industry, and we’re doing exactly what we know best.”
45 Years of Evolution
Dorcel marked its 45th anniversary in 2024. Over the decades, the company has borne witness to many changes. As the industry has evolved, so have public attitudes toward adult entertainment and pleasure.
“For today’s audience, I think, porn is not something incredible or taboo,” Dorcel says. “It’s just entertainment, part of the full range of entertainment they have access to and also part of their sexual life. It’s something normal. It’s the same with the sex toy industry. Sex toys are quite common now.”
For Dorcel, one telling sign of how mainstream the industry has become is the holiday season — and its big impact on in his company’s bottom line.
“Our best period is the end of the year,” he reveals. “It’s amazing that Christmas has become the peak of all our activities. I think that if 50 years ago, someone would have said that the sex toy industry and the porn industry would have their highest peak of activity during Christmas, it would have been very surprising! It proves that these two industries have become as normal as any other.”
Another hopeful trend that Dorcel sees throughout the industry is the widespread embrace of what he considers ethical production, business and consumer practices.
“Ethics are very important to consider,” he says. “If we want porn and adult content to always be accessible to a large audience, the content has to be responsible. This is the case with any mature industry, and I think that the major studios understand this very important point. As producers and broadcasters of adult content, we have to assure viewers that our content is ethical and responsible.”
Ensuring that each division of the company behaves in such a manner, Dorcel says, has proved to be a time-consuming process requiring significant manpower and financial investment, but he is pleased with both the effort and the result.
“We feel we succeeded in achieving something that is really respectful,” he shares. “We’re quite proud of making such a big commitment because even as a small company, it can make a big difference.”
Global Ambitions
According to Dorcel, both the media and retail divisions performed especially well this past year, as they have done since the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the media division saw accelerated revenue growth in its online properties. Now, as the brand nears a half-century, Dorcel seeks to expand the company’s reach to an even larger audience.
“Our media business is already worldwide, so our next very important goal is to develop retail franchises everywhere, outside of France,” he says.
Dorcel is keen to conquer one highly lucrative international market in particular.
“One of the most important steps and strategic points for Dorcel is to develop further in China. We’ve had that goal for two years now, and have established a partnership with Alibaba to assure the presence of Dorcel products in China. It’s a long-term commitment, as it usually takes five years to make a brand well-known in China, but it’s a strategic priority for us.”
When it comes to media content, Dorcel says, the company’s ongoing effort to make the brand truly international has included shooting more films in the States, with American casts, while still preserving the signature Dorcel approach and aesthetic. He sees the U.S. and Canadian markets as strong and ripe for expansion, thanks to economic trends.
“For us, the North American market is an important part of our development,” he affirms. “We are well-established in Europe but still have market share to gain in the U.S. and Canada. So I would say that our focus is mainly on American stars right now — though for Dorcel, the real star is the quality of the product itself.
“We’re obliged to listen a lot because we have to adapt to the different markets,” Dorcel adds. “I think that’s something that European companies often do better than American companies, which are typically focused on serving one major market. European companies are very good at understanding the specificities of each region, and understanding what consumers are expecting and how to address them.”
That Certain ‘Je ne Sais Quoi’
Does Dorcel have any advice for industry creatives aspiring to be part of the company’s mythos?
“A lot of directors who contact us think we’re looking for something specific, so they try to change what they’re used to doing simply to satisfy us,” Dorcel notes. “But that’s not what we are looking for. We are looking for people who have their own style. When their style corresponds to our expectations, it’s a fit.”
He has similar advice for performers.
“What we expect from them is to be themselves, and to enjoy their job,” Dorcel says. “People who enjoy what they do and are really themselves usually find their audience — and once they have a large audience, then for sure, we find them as well. And we’re very pleased to have them in our movies!”
Looking ahead, Dorcel anticipates further evolution as the entire adult industry continues to navigate constant change.
“The most pressing trends in the industry are around protecting minors, which will become a central focus for legislation across Western countries, impacting web ecosystems and product development,” he observes. “Additionally, shifts in gender dynamics and evolving attitudes toward intimacy, which have already influenced the sex toy market, are yet to be fully embraced in adult content. Technologies like AI and virtual reality will certainly reshape the adult entertainment landscape, but societal changes in gender relations will have a profound impact on how adult content is produced and consumed.”
In the meantime, Dorcel says, he will keep leading the company according to the same traditional values that his father embraced back at the very beginning.
“We try our best each day to make Dorcel a comfortable place to work so that our employees can deliver the best products and services to our customers,” he says. “It’s what we call an ‘artisan philosophy’ in France.
“Through our achievements, alongside our commitment to ethical adult pleasure — including our professional ethics charter — Dorcel has established itself as a global reference in adult entertainment, synonymous with luxury, sophistication and forward thinking,” he concludes. “We aren’t making decisions based on short-term results; at Dorcel, we aim for a long-term vision.”
