Playboy Pacts with Online Adult-Entertainment Firm

LOS ANGELES: Playboy Enterprises has appointed online adult-entertainment provider Manwin to serve as an operating partner for certain Playboy-branded digital and TV businesses under the label Playboy Plus Entertainment.

Playboy Enterprises retains oversight for brand management under the new deal. Alta Loma Entertainment, which develops, produces and distributes Playboy’s original content to TV networks and film studios, is not affected by the agreement.

Scott Flanders, the chief executive officer of Playboy Enterprises, said: "This partnership is another major step in the evolution of Playboy from an operator of a range of media and licensing businesses to a brand management company. We began this process with the successful outsourcing of our publishing functions and later partnering to grow consumer-products licensing opportunities in Asia and Europe. In Manwin, we have found another strong and experienced partner, and believe that this agreement will benefit our customers, distributors and advertisers."

Fabian Thylmann, the managing partner of Manwin, added: "There is no doubt that Playboy Enterprises has created a brand that is the epitome of sexy, fun indulgence. Manwin will help this prestigious name capture both TV and the digital age in the spirit in which it was created. Manwin’s scale and expertise will catapult the brand in a way that will benefit all our partners, as well as Playboy fans."