The April 29, 2000 issue of Billboard features the following profile on Vivid Interactive written by Jim Bessman.
"With the release of the 'mature-rated' 'Interactive Mind Teazzer' DVD, the adult video supplier Vivid Video is looking to expand its presence into the mainstream home entertainment marketplace.
"Recently released under the company's Vivid Interactive line, the puzzle game was directed by actress Dyanna Lauren and is priced at $34.95. It utilizes Vivid's state-of-the-art interactive technology in challenging players, via the instructions of "Vivid Superstar" Kira Kener, to construct "the perfect woman" by assembling different clothed body parts.
" 'If you do it correctly, she rewards you with a striptease," says Vivid co-owner David James, noting that the mature-rated program offers a tame payoff compared with a racier, adult-rated version released last month as "Interactive Body Parts." More significant, James notes that the game can be played on DVD and DVD-ROM players and, especially, on such new video game machines as Playstation 2. "Obviously the larger market is the non-adult business," says James, looking forward to the summer rollout of Sony's Playstation 2 and new video game hardware from Sega, Nintendo, and Microsoft. They'll all be able to play our discs, and you can imagine how big the market instantly becomes as soon as these game consoles come out." James says the company has high expectations for the game because it appeals to the video game market's 18-34 age demo, which matches Vivid's customer base. In addition, video retailers are beginning to stock games in their stores.
" 'Music isn't a big seller, and laser is dead, so they need something to fill space," said James, 'Tower, Hollywood Video, Musicland, Transworld -- all the major chains are having game sections, and even smaller ones like Movie Gallery carry them.' But in order for retailers to accept Vivid product, it had to refine its triple-X product. 'We'd never have a chance to get in except by producing 'mature'-type titles-for lack of a better word,' says James. 'But when you compete with Playboy, you have to do something extra, so we're taking the technology from the adult side, updating it, and applying it to mature titles.'
"As an example, the four-hour, fully interactive 'Mind Teazzer' offers multiple angles and moving menus, full motion choices, and interactive 'bonus rooms,' plus trailers for the latest Vivid videos.With the disc's multiple angles and multiple-level navigation, James notes that the production costs are far greater than a regular linear transfer of a Vivid video to DVD.
" 'It's a quite complex program, but it makes money back since we're the only ones doing it,' James says. 'We're finding that a lot of people are buying adult titles just to play with the angle button, and I'm happy to spend the production money to give the customer something they can't get anywhere else.' With more studios bypassing video distributors in favor of direct shipping, Vivid's mature product is getting more attention and placement, James says. 'They're having a hard time finding replacement product, which for us is a godsend, because they're coming to us to buy our product for their pipeline.' James also cites an 'immediate response' from PlayStation 2 game distributors who saw a preview of the product at the last Consumer Electronics Show.
"Both Lauren and Kener are set to play the game in stores May 11 at New York's Virgin Magastore in Times Square, with the action being projected onto the huge Times Square Jumbotron outdoor screen nearby. Vivid is also conducting a 'Mind Teazzer' competition at the 52 Tower outlets that carry Vivid interactive product. Winners of the contests will be awarded trips to Hong Kong, Paris, London, Tahiti, or Bangkok, Thailand. Greg Vovsi, sales rep for Tower-supplying Bayside Distribution, says that 'anything with the Vivid name on it gives authenticity' and that the company's multiple-angle DVD product sells very well.But Bayside, Vovsi notes, carries only Vivid product packaged with R-rated graphics. 'Vivid was one of the first to get heavily into DVD, and I'd imagine that the new 'Interactive Body Parts' series has a pretty high chance for success,' adds Vovsi. 'They're still on the level where everything they do seems to do well.' "
