MML Launches E-Commerce Website for Playboy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information Contact:
Stefan Pollack
The Pollack PR Marketing Group
1-310-556-4443
spollack@ppmgcorp.com

Playboystore.com Now Powered by MarketLive Intelligent Selling System v3

Petaluma, CA -- October 11, 2001 -- Multimedia Live (MML) (http://www.mmlive.com), the leading developer of e-commerce technology and services for Intelligent Selling™ on the Web, announced today that it has launched an entirely new e-commerce website for Playboystore.com (http://store.playboy.com) featuring new technology and brand-supporting site design and architecture. The site runs on the MarketLive™ Intelligent Selling System™ v3, the advanced Java™-based e-commerce software platform developed by MML. MML created the site design and architecture to work harmoniously with the existing branding on the main Playboy site.

The main Playboy site, which is one of the most heavily visited sites on the Web, has recently been driving increasing amounts of traffic to Playboystore.com. MML built an upgraded e-commerce site that better supports the Playboy brand, makes it easy for shoppers to find what they are looking for, and can handle growing traffic particularly during peak holiday periods. Playboystore.com is an important part of Playboy’s overall online strategy, generating a large proportion of the company’s online revenue. The site sells Playboy logo merchandise including men’s and women’s clothing, items for the home, memorabilia, magazine back-issues, and other products.

MML’s technology and design services are specifically adapted for effective merchandising online, and Playboystore.com has a number of built-in features that make shopping simple and pleasant. Logically organized product categories make it easy to find desired products, and clear simple product shots are used throughout. The catalog quick shop feature makes it easy to find any given product online using special source codes from print catalogs, and the gift wizard helps narrow choices for gift-givers, based on price range and the recipient’s personality and interests. Back-issues of Playboy magazine from the last 35 years are available through a section organized by decade and year, and also through date range search. Links to all other Playboy sites are available as well.

Because of MarketLive’s JavaTM-based e-commerce engine, the new site exhibits faster and more reliable performance, and was easily integrated into Playboy’s existing systems, including product and customer databases. Back-end databases are from Oracle, and the whole site runs on Unix servers.

“Our goal was to design a site that was lightning fast and could handle the large volume of traffic that Playboy generates,” said Ken Burke, Multimedia Live President and CEO. “I am happy to say that we achieved our goal, and created one of the fastest sites on the Web.”

About Multimedia Live:

Multimedia Live (http://www.mmlive.com), a pioneer of Intelligent Selling™ online, is a nationally recognized Web technology and design company serving the catalog, direct marketing, retail and dot.com industries. MarketLive™ is Multimedia Live’s enterprise-class, Java™-based rapid e-commerce development application built from the ground up specifically for catalogers, retailers, direct marketers, and manufacturers. The company has over 130 employees working with clients as diverse as General Motors, eBay, Longs Drugs, and Johnston & Murphy Shoes. It was founded in 1995 by entrepreneur Ken Burke and is located in Petaluma, California.