More News From Titan.. 'Under 30 Market'

**Lee** · 07-19-2005, 01:37 PM

SAN FRANCISCO - Io Group, Inc., parent company of top gay brands TitanMen and ManPlay, announced on July 15 the introduction of a new brand to its portfolio, TitanMen Fresh.

Initial releases of the new brand, which focuses on under-30 models, will be produced in Europe by Man's Art Studio and directed by famed European gay director Marcel Bruckmann. Bruckmann was named Best Gay Director at the 2004 Venus Awards in Berlin, Germany.

Man's Art and Bruckmann have signed an exclusive long-term production and distribution deal with Io Group to produce up to 12 titles per year for the next seven years. Terms of the contract give Io Group exclusive DVD manufacturing and distribution rights for the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Africa.

The agreement also gives Io Group exclusive worldwide distribution rights for Internet, streaming, VOD, PPV, cable, broadcast, and satellite for all films produced.

Man's Art will retain European DVD distribution rights for all films.

This is the first entry into the under-30 market for Io Group and marks the beginning of expansion into new genres for the production and distribution company.

"We are very excited by our expansion into the under-30 genre," said Keith Webb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Io Group. "We looked at the market and saw a huge hole in high quality and affordable films featuring younger men. By bringing the same high quality production values the TitanMen brand is synonymous with to this genre, we feel we can penetrate and expand this segment of the market quite successfully. We have a great track record for being successful in anything we put our skills and energy behind."

"I have committed all the resources of my company to ensure that TitanMen Fresh is a viable and long term brand," says Bruce Cam, CEO of Io Group and GAYVN Hall of Fame Director. "I traveled to Germany to work with Marcel and his production team, passing on the finer points of production that are the signature of my own films for the past fifteen years. My goal is to ensure the same high quality and great sex associated with the TitanMen brand name; the only difference being the use of younger models. I am confident that we can bring the same level of quality of TitanMen productions into this segment of the marketplace."

The first two TitanMen Fresh titles are London Calling and Where Is Rico?, set for U.S. wholesale release in early August. Retail price-points for the brand are targeted to be in line with current ManPlay retail prices and should hit store shelves between $39 and $45. For marketing and promotional materials such as box covers, banners, or press releases, please visit TitanPromos.com.

For U.S. wholesale inquiries please contact: Stephen Mounce or Charles LeBlanc, wholesale@TitanMedia.com, 800-360-7204, 415-252-7747 (Fax), P.O. Box 411345, San Francisco, CA 94141; or Nicole Hunter, info@LucasEntertainment.com, 888-562-9125, 212-924-6514 (Fax), 101 W. 23rd St., #2149, New York, NY 10011.

http://www.gayvn.com/index.php?Prima...tent_ID=233642

As i mentioned in the thread about Titan hiring the other day, interesting to see how these folks are growing their company and branding their name in, what i presume will be the 'jock' and 'twink' marketplace

Regards,

Lee

Xstr8guy · 07-19-2005, 01:40 PM

Oh good! We need more studios producing these kinds of movies. It's so hard to find movies that feature young men now days.

**Lee** · 07-19-2005, 01:46 PM

LOL Jim, i agree with you but, i also see how this is a really shrewd business move on the part of Titan, there is no doubt that the twink / jock market place is heavily saturated, with that saturation comes a LOT of $$$ too, money that Titan wants its cut of

Regards,

Lee

desslock · 07-19-2005, 02:16 PM

Marcel Bruckmann's movies are kind of hit and miss. His name does not necessarily convey a steady brand that brings product confidence and warm n' fuzzy feelings... like say Disney or Treasure Island Media.

Steve

**Lee** · 07-19-2005, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by desslock

Marcel Bruckmann's movies are kind of hit and miss. His name does not necessarily convey a steady brand that brings product confidence and warm n' fuzzy feelings... like say Disney or Treasure Island Media.

Steve

Agreed, his name doesnt but, lets not forget we are talking about consumers here, Titan is going to be the name they pay more attention to IMHO.

Regards,

Lee

Xstr8guy · 07-19-2005, 02:18 PM

Oh I know Lee. I was just being me,

. I just hate it when a company that features the masculine market so prominently goes towards the twink end of the scale. HotOlderMale.com/Pantheon Productions even has a new vid with a twink (older man admirer) thrown into the mix. What the fuck is that? The last thing I want to see when I watch a video of hairy burly older men is a smooth twink. EEEWWWW!

**Jasun** · 07-19-2005, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Lee

"We looked at the market and saw a huge hole in high quality and affordable films featuring younger men."

Hi. I'm Jasun From Fratmen. Have we met?

Well.. hey.. it's not like there's no room for competition, and I'm kinda looking forward to sites other than Corbin Fisher being negatively comparred to us, but really.. they just described what we've been doing for years.

(and by the way.. we have an affiliate program....)

desslock · 07-19-2005, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

What the fuck is that? The last thing I want to see when I watch a video of hairy burly older men is a smooth twink. EEEWWWW!

hehe that's funny. You know I typically like moves that "mix it up" a bit. I routinely punch up my reviews if movies do that, as opposed to just one pasty white twink after another, or other types repeated over and over.

It's interesting how purely subjective a "hot movie" can be. This is presicely why I never put ratings on my movie reviews. (some people get frustrated at this)

Everyone else does this.... but I feel it is impossible to assign three or four or five stars to something when one guy will find it sizzling, as the next guy finds it as erotic as watching their grandparents engage in foreplay.

Steve

**Lee** · 07-19-2005, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by desslock

as the next guy finds it as erotic as watching their grandparents engage in foreplay.

Um, thanks for that, err... gross mental image LOL

Regards,

Lee

**citiboyz** · 07-20-2005, 12:22 PM

IMHO, it's all just greed. I've seen other "traditional" studios jump into the twink niche and fall on their ass because they didn't understand the niche. They see dollar signs on the inside of their eyelids and jump into the market with what ends up being badly made "twink versions" of their regular videos, rather than something unique. But they're convinced that their name recognition will translate into instant acceptance in both the retail and distribution channels. In marketing, that's called "brand extension" and it's a risky move because diluting your core brand can cause your core brand to suffer. And do we really need more Euro twink videos?

**HotMaleVideos** · 07-20-2005, 01:39 PM

They made videos after Fallen Angel 3? Hadn't noticed.

But seriously, I always took the "TitanMen" name to be the anti-twink. So I hope they market the products correctly. (i.e. carefully.)

**Jasun** · 07-20-2005, 01:49 PM

OK, before we get too far here..

Here at Fratmen, we do "Under 30", but we most certianly do NOT do Twinks.

Under 30 men can still be men.. just younger men. Just taking a look at the guys on our site... I wouldn't call any of our men "TWinks", but they're all under 30.

we have an affiliate program, by the way...