CEO of adultery website Ashley Madison, Noel Biderman: “People pursuing affairs are trying to stay in their marriage. They’re just trying to have their cake and eat it too.”
According to Biderman, the adulterers on his website cheat not because they want to end their marriage, but because they’re trying to preserve it.
They do love and cherish their families, the economic situation, their extended family, but what they don’t cherish is what goes on or doesn’t go on in the bedroom.
Despite Biderman’s message of marital sanctity, the website’s slogan, “Life is short. Have an affair,” doesn’t seem to correlate with this idea. The opening ad, which shows two people about to engage in some sexual activity, only seems to glorify the idea of sleeping around.
Which is why we’re a little taken aback by Biderman’s claim that he is “happily married” and would be “devastated” if his wife used the website behind his back, he’s okay with helping others have affairs. To him, he’s just a matchmaker. He says, “My role in this is to connect people who are unhappy in their relationship when it comes to a sexual need.”
But it’s hard to take the high road when Biderman’s site has over 1.9 million users paying around $100 per consort. And he’s admitted that he expects the website to eventually surpass singles-dating websites.
Infidelity crosses both genders, every socio-economic group, ethnic groups. It’s a worldwide issue. So my market potential is probably larger than singles dating sites. Are we the next billion dollar company? I would argue so.