Fifty Shades Arouses More Than Book Sales

Steve Cooper, Contributor 9/25/2012 - Forbes

While the Fifty Shades trilogy has sold millions of books, it has also stimulated an entire cottage industry. (Credit: Vintage Books)

As the editor of a website helping and inspiring married couples, I can tell you that sex is not just a popular topic, but an important topic for couples. One of my favorite statistics we’ve reported over the years is based on research by sex therapist Dr. Barry McCarthy. He found, “When couples are happy enough with their sex life, it only accounts for 15 percent of how happy they are in their relationship. However, when either person is unhappy with their sex life it can account for 85 percent of their relationship happiness.”
With this huge correlation between a happy sex life and happy coupledom, I find it exciting that the “Fifty Shades of Grey” phenomenon has spurred so much conversation in and out of the bedroom—not to mention it’s good business!
Patty Brisben, a contributor to Hitched and founder and chairwoman of Pure Romance, a direct seller of relationship and intimacy aids through a network of in-home parties, says the book has helped pave the way for a national discussion about sex and sexuality. “I love the fact that six months after the books hit U.S. shelves, people are still talking about them,” says Brisben. “Everywhere I go, from dinner parties to the doctor’s office, women and men are asking me if I have read the ‘Fifty Shades’ books.”
Full piece at Forbes