The following article is brought to you by the letter M – as in M Squared Productions – an avant-garde Internet/film production company that produces unique content distributed via numerous media such as Web-based video feed plugins, DVD/VHS sales, and cable TV programming.
Chief operating officer Allen Ingram says M Squared Prods. was formed to “handle the movement of new content ideas from their inception to delivery through as many mediums as possible.
“It is this exact experience,” Ingram opines, “that puts us in a unique position to offer this full monetization package to other companies.”
M Squared Prods. launched in 1999, with Mask TV (www.masktv.com), its flagship Website. “It was a slow process, getting locals to buy into the whole concept of actually having their fantasy lived out,” says Ingram, “but we have not looked back, launching more sites, and concentrating on producing and selling lease feeds to other adult companies.”
The Vancouver, Canada headquarters has six full-time staffers, plus employees based in their London office, a business hub vital for launching European products into the marketplace.
There are presently five Websites under the M Squared banner, with another half-dozen, according to Ingram, slated for future release.
“Mask TV was obviously our Website vehicle,” says Ingram, “which was driven to the marketplace way ahead of the reality TV craze, that is still gathering momentum, as I see it.”
Another M Squared product is a gay/bisexual feed called Trey’s Top Tips (www.treystoptips.com), hosted by Trey Donaldson (www.treydonaldson.com), and which, says Ingram, “has garnered support from many industry insiders for its frank, honest, and sexy look into the world of the bisexual man.”
Then there’s Meet My Secretary (www.meetmysecretary.com), a female POV feed, featuring Asian beauty Maja, who brings in men and women under the guise of a job interview, and tries to get them to perform sexual acts on/for her.
“What makes this product so fun is that we give the end user the ability to choose Maja’s POV camera angle, or the security camera shooting fly-on-the-wall footage,” says Ingram.
Mask TV’s premise is about “real people who are given the chance to live out their ultimate sexual fantasy,” says Ingram.
Once people are interviewed and blood tests are squared away, contestants’ fantasies are discussed. “The filming includes ‘before’ and ‘after’ interviews, and then the chance to critique their performance and the fantasy itself,” says Ingram. “We also shoot behind the scenes and producer and director comments as part of the package.”
Ingram says they receive over 200 fantasy submissions each week from people all over the world. After being covered on a Canadian news program (which can be seen on the Mask TV Website), they were picked up for a segment on Sex TV’s network show; with that episode repeating periodically, large volumes of traffic are driven to the site.
“From that initial show we saw that cable TV was a huge market to draw Web audiences to our sites,” says Ingram. In March they filmed with HBO for the Real Life Sex Stories show set to air this fall.
“Mask TV was designed to deliver to audiences tuning in on multiple mediums,” says Ingram. “We have so much depth of opportunity with this one product; we could concentrate on that alone, and have more than enough revenue streams for substantial growth.”
The future of Mask TV, says Ingram, “lies in the interaction of audiences, deciding how our fantasies start or end, as those very fantasies are streamed live to Websites, over cable TV, to mobile phones and PDAs, as well as being replicated for DVDs.
“We build brands,” Ingram continues, “and the brands must fit neatly into our business model. That way we can ensure longevity for the product, and of course, for the reputation of our company to produce successful content.”
With the adult market seemingly at its tipping point content-wise, Ingram says the focus is on vertical markets for fresh content, while maximizing existing market share.
“Our specialty has been delivering products that deliver in both categories,” he says. “These days we are helping other companies fulfill their strategies of diversification of content delivery, which has given us the idea of developing an all-inclusive Webmaster affiliate program, Banking Bucks, that will increase brand awareness and show Webmasters that they can make more money from their existing traffic.”
Formerly involved with two startup companies, Ingram once managed five restaurants, which he said taught him the need for “adaptability and strategic staffing.”
His foray into adult was due to his wife, Jackie Barnard, who’s worked in the adult industry since 1995.
“When she was starting M Squared Productions I was there to keep her in good food, fill the fridge with groceries, and contribute with ideas where I could,” says Ingram. “She is the driving force behind the success of this company, and as CEO and executive producer, oversees the crucial production department so that we can deliver new and exciting products to our customers and members alike.”
Ingram says he and Jackie stay connected to the ever-changing creative/business marketplace by attending forums and Webmaster events, to “feel out existing strategies, as well as drive creative ideas for future designs.”
“It’s critical to use Webmasters as sounding boards for new ideas,” says Ingram, “so a Webmaster resource board presence is necessary – although some boards are not performing as well as they used to for resource chat.”
Though Ingram acknowledges market maturity in a number of adult sectors, he foresees growth in many areas, including mobile phone applications, GPS-based dating sites, and original niche content. “Currently the U.S. sits three to four years behind in delivery to market of mobile phone applications,” says Ingram. “This gap is not shortening. In fact, as long as the U.S. phone companies continue to be blind to the world’s advancement of products and software, not to mention a workable solution for SMS billing in our industry, the situation will not improve.”
With this search for new business frontiers, Ingram alluded to M Squared’s differing marketing and branding strategies for the U.S. and European markets. “Consumers in the U.S. react far more favorably to known brands – in some instances up to 70 percent more favorably, according to market research,” says Ingram. “My favorite catch phrase, ‘It is critical to know your market, but more critical to be known by your market,’ is particularly appropriate for North America.
“The European market is more open to new products, but they need to be followed up with frequent promotions once the products have launched.”
To that end, M Squared recently banked their first paychecks from streaming video content to mobile phones in Europe, and in March launched Mask TV Europe, which directly focuses on the European market with the development of advanced applications for mobile phones and delivery to cable TV.
“We also launched a promotion via SMS text with a major adult magazine company, for someone to win their ultimate fantasy and be flown all-expenses-paid to Vancouver, to have the fantasy filmed,” says Ingram. “Through another promotion we’ll give people the chance to send in pictures of themselves and girlfriends, boyfriends or husbands and wives through MMS, and have Web surfers vote on their attractiveness, or vote with their phones, via SMS.”
Ingram also says they’re expanding their database of content that is delivered to hand-held devices and phones in media files called ‘vidlets’: 60-90 second hardcore video clips, advertised through print media and European Websites.
“We see this as a huge potential revenue source, and are building an option for North America that will launch in August at the Internext show in Florida.”
Says Ingram, “We can and will find ways to produce record profits in sectors ripe for exploitation.”
