Business News

Playboy Expands Partnership With IMG to Include Europe

Thursday 11. November 2010 - Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (PEI) (NYSE: PLA, PLAA) today announced that it has signed IMG Licensing Worldwide (IMG) as its exclusive agent in Europe. The agreement covers most Playboy product categories and expands IMG's geographic responsibilities for licensing the Playboy brand.

“PEI’s successful collaboration with IMG in Asia made extending the partnership to include Europe an attractive opportunity to grow our revenue base and accelerate our transition to a brand management company. IMG’s extensive network of agents in Europe can help increase Playboy’s consumer reach as well as the visibility and power of the Playboy brand,” said Adrianna Chinnici, PEI’s senior vice president, global licensing.

“IMG’s 50-year experience and established infrastructure in the European market will allow us to build on Playboy’s success throughout the region, as we have been doing already in Asia, and to continue to significantly expand its licensing business,” said Bruno Maglione, IMG executive vice president and global managing director IMG Licensing Worldwide.

While the agreement with IMG will cover a wide range of men’s and women’s apparel, accessories and other product categories, PEI said that its pan-global and entertainment venue licenses as well as the company’s media businesses will be exempt from this arrangement. In addition to developing new business prospects, IMG will oversee the financial and legal administrative processes related to Playboy’s European licensing agreements and will monitor compliance. The contract gives Playboy final approval on all licenses.