“In just one year, we’ve tapped into many new markets and predict continued expansion,” Trans Digital Media LLC’s Mark Graff said. TDM is the owner of Playgirl, the Spice Channel, Cheri magazine and High Society magazine.
The partnerships include a distribution deal with Wicked Pictures. Playgirl will launch Wicked TV, while Wicked will distribute Playgirl Home Video.
“The Playgirl brand is one of the strongest names in adult entertainment,” said Wicked owner Steve Orenstein. “Playgirl Home Video will satisfy the increasing demand for adult entertainment for women. We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership.”
“We’re taking some of the Wicked library and marketing it to pay-per-view and video-on-demand,” said Graff, who founded TDM in late 2003 after launching Spice TV.
Playgirl is also partnering with Waat Media to provide mobile content for cellphones and personal digital assistants. Playgirl Mobile will debut in certain countries before expanding to the United States by the end of 2005.
A source at Playboy told XBiz that the publication does not have plans for domestic mobile content “in the immediate future.”
Taking a cue from Playboy, however, Playgirl is producing live entertainment in conjunction with night clubs around the country. The Las Vegas venue Sapphire has been host to Playgirl’s “Nite Out” and “The Men of Sapphire” male revues, and Playgirl has staged similar events at New York’s Webster Hall with plans to branch out into other cities.