Greg Alves, founder and owner of Zero Tolerance Entertainment, has teamed up with Gregg Alan, owner of Diabolic Video Productions, to launch a line of adult novelties that-like the line's name indicates-are evolved and a labor of love.
Alves says launching Evolved Novelties isn't an attempt to compete with the adult toy manufacturers already on the market. Instead, just as when he launched Zero Tolerance, he is simply looking for his own place in the market.
The Evolved Novelties line took five years to perfect and was scheduled to be launched at the 2007 AVN Novelty Expo. However, Alves says he and Alan scrapped the line they had in store because it wasn't on par with what they had envisioned. "Honestly, at that time, the toys weren't up to our strict standards, so we delayed our launch," he explains. "Only now do we feel that the quality and consistency is there. All of our products are phthalate-free, multispeed, and waterproof. In fact, all of our products are completely submersible. In addition, we are offering unique packaging. Nothing will be in a traditional adult novelty package.
"It's also important for people to know that every toy we're putting out is our own mold and our own shape. Everything is 100 percent our own creation."
According to Alves, every product in the Evolved Novelties line began as a sketch and took time to perfect. "Every toy started as a pencil drawing," he says. "Nothing is a knockoff of another toy on the market. We own the worldwide rights on every toy we're putting out. In the last three or four years, we've asked a lot of questions and personally visited hundreds and hundreds of stores. We wanted to find out what retailers' needs were at a grassroots level. After all this research, we feel confident in where we're at today."
Evolved Novelties has spared no expense in fine-tuning the initial 48 products currently in production. However, Alves says he doesn't intend to flood the market. "We did not cut any corners," he says. "All of our toys are quality-tested. We really tried to go as high-end as possible, from the motors to the finish of the toy itself and even the stones used in some of the jewel-encrusted vibrators. We are only going to be releasing about six a month so we don't flood the market. The first month, you're going to see a couple of toys from each line we're launching."
Though Alves and Alan are confident in the products that are ready to be unveiled, they have taken a humble approach to launching the line. "We're not coming into this with a haughty attitude or acting like we know everything," Alves says. "In the last few years, we've been learning as we've gone along, but we've remained consistent in our commitment to put out the best finished goods possible. Ultimately, if we don't listen to what retailers want, we'll look foolish. We are trying to make something different. We are trying to carve our own niche in the market without directly competing with the other companies."
Alves did the same thing five years ago when he launched his first DVD production company, Zero Tolerance. "Back then, I was one of the first guys branding my packaging with foil," he notes. "Now, you see it everywhere. I had product recognition with that and still do, but a lot of other companies followed suit. Just like with our DVDs, we're focusing on quality and consistency with the Evolved line. Job One of everyone who starts in the building, regardless of what their position is, is consistency. We're not trying to hit the ball out of the park. We're trying to make base hits all day long."
The majority of the Evolved Novelties line will consist of pink, purple, black, and blue toys, while red toys will be introduced in the second season. Each toy, however, will be available in only two colors.
Many of the Evolved Novelties vibrators feature an innovative type of multifunction control. Alves says the idea was inspired by the company's ground-level research. "We realized a lot of push-button, multifunction vibrators don't offer a master on/off switch," he explains. "People have trouble shutting it off, which can obviously be a problem if you're using your vibrator and someone walks into the room. Our multifunction vibrators will allow users to shut them off immediately, regardless of the speed or function it is set to."
Each Evolved Novelties multifunction vibrator will have 16 functions and a powerful motor on each end. The vibes also are scent- and phthalate-free.
The packaging is certain to stand out. Alves says the aim with this is to not only set the brand apart from other sex toys, but also to give added value to the user. "The philosophy we have as a company is [that] you buy a nice watch, you buy a nice pair of sunglasses, you get a case for them," he says. "You get something of value. It's one thing if you're buying a $10 item, but when you're shelling out $100 and it's in a cardboard box that's been on the shelf for three months with the paper torn and corners bashed in, you're not a happy customer. That isn't going to happen here."
The line will be shipped in cases that include cardboard dividers and a protective cover similar to a DVD O-sleeve, so distributors can then mail smaller quantities directly to retailers.
Instead of branding the company with provocative images of porn stars, Evolved Novelties will feature packaging that is classy and discreet. "We wanted to provide a line of products that customers wouldn't necessarily have to worry about leaving out in plain sight," he says. "These do not look like porno items. People expect a company like us, with our library of adult-star images, to come out with a line that features naked girls. Instead, we're going with a more mainstream electronics or cosmetics packaging look and feel."
The first offerings in season one of the Evolved Novelties line will be shipped shortly after the AVN Novelty Expo in July. New releases will be made monthly according to a steady, moderate schedule.
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