xbiz world
xbiz premiere
opinion

3 Questions and Answers from the Show Floor

Attending the Adult Entertainment Expo and the Internext Expo, I had the opportunity to speak with consumers, newcomers to the business, industry veterans, and journalists. There are always a few questions that tend to represent a trend and a few questions where I feel I could have been more candid, so I’m using my blog to cover both of those.

The trend questions.

Question 1:

I hear the smaller number of companies exhibiting and smaller space at AEE is reflective of the state of the industry’s recession, would you agree?

My Answer: No. Although there have been industry struggles and obstacles, even if the financial situation of every company was at its top level today, exhibiting in the same ways companies used to just doesn’t make sense anymore. It’s more of a reflection of the digital age where physical goods and presence are just not that necessary, or worth the cost. Super fans are able to develop relationships with their favorite stars through their own personal websites, facebook, twitter, and even live cams. Business deals have been getting done through online communication for years and waiting around for a big buyers show really isn’t feasible in the fast paced market. Yes, some new deals come out of these events but these events are often about meeting in person and relationship building. Lastly, all of this physical presence doesn’t seem to make sense at all. Why are companies and organizers still spending money to print large ads that will be thrown out? Seems like renting a “jumbotron” screen would be more effective and the use of digital screens would be a way to cut costs, and still allow companies opportunities for branding and sponsorships. I mean, a company could even have a live girl talking to the fans as an ad, for example. More to the point, it seems that the event organizers (and this is true of many adult industry events) need to move the exhibition experience into the digital age.

Question 2:

Seems like with all the piracy going on, “live” is really the way to go?

My Answer: Kind of. The live experience is definitely something that should be part of, or complimentary to, any adult studio’s offerings, but what’s really needed is just a better experience for the consumer, generally. From having sleek and easy-to-use interfaces, to offering live content, games and other interactive experiences, all in a way that allows the user to find what appeals to them easily, will help a company create an experience that is hard to match elsewhere. I also believe the portion of the adult consumer market that enjoys the live experience is just that, a portion, and it doesn’t make sense to serve that portion at the exclusion of the larger portion that enjoys recorded video viewing, and may not want the live experience.

Question 3:

So I have an idea for a series of adult videos to start my business, is there a company I can talk to that can help me and do everything?

My Candid Answer: Ummmm, no. No one is going to help another business get started or believe in your ideas as much as you do. In fact, if they are pretty decent ideas, you run the risk of the companies you share the ideas with running off with them before you can even begin to develop them. The only person who can help you is you. You can pay others to do the work you need them to do, but they aren’t ‘helping’ you; they are working for you. So, if you really believe in your idea, go out and get it done.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

Q&A: Mathema Kitten Rises to the Top as Clip Creator

As the only child of older parents who strongly encouraged her to prioritize academics, Mathema Kitten grew up spending a substantial amount of time on her studies. Working to meet her folks’ high expectations, she spent little time around people her own age and felt shy and challenged in navigating relationships with peers.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

WIA Profile: Rae Threat

Threat is completely self-taught. Shooting nightlife was how she learned photography and honed her skills, experimenting with ways to shoot low-light action shots without a flash. She notes that these nightly adventures also helped her acquire social and networking skills. One thing led to another, and she soon found herself working in the adult biz.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

How History Drives Marketing Strategies Today

Thanks to the efforts of activists, sex educators and members of marginalized communities, products like sex toys, lubricants and adult films have become much less stigmatized, and much more visible and accepted in the public sphere today.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

BAFTA Nominations Highlights Importance of Gender-Neutrality

While the Brit Awards have paved the way for gender inclusivity by introducing gender-neutral award categories, it has recently been confirmed that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards will not follow suit.

Scarlett Ward ·
profile

VerifyMy Seeks to Provide Frictionless Online Safety, Compliance Solutions

Before founding VerifyMy, Ryan Shaw was simply looking for an age verification solution for his previous business. The ones he found, however, were too expensive, too difficult to integrate with, or failed to take into account the needs of either the businesses implementing them or the end users who would be required to interact with them.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

How Adult Website Operators Can Cash in on the 'Interchange' Class Action

The Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement resulted from a landmark antitrust lawsuit involving Visa, Mastercard and several major banks. The case centered around the interchange fees charged to merchants for processing credit and debit card transactions. These fees are set by card networks and are paid by merchants to the banks that issue the cards.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Ins and Outs of Creating Horror Porn

It’s spooky season, which means it’s the time of year when I get to go all out on my very favorite genre: horror porn. While horror porn may seem incredibly “niche,” horror happens to be one of the most popular genres of film in general, getting butts in seats all year round — sometimes no matter how bad the actual movie looks.

Espi Kvlt ·
opinion

It's Time to Rock the Vote and Make Your Voice Heard

When I worked to defeat California’s Proposition 60 in 2016, our opposition campaign was outspent nearly 10 to 1. Nevertheless, our community came together and garnered enough support and awareness to defeat that harmful, misguided piece of proposed legislation — by more than a million votes.

Siouxsie Q ·
opinion

How to Explain Wax Play to Shoppers

When it comes to candles in the bedroom, most folks think of them as a great way to create a sexy ambiance. For folks who enjoy wax play, however, candles are also a kinky way to heat things up. While it may sound daunting to the uninitiated — because, you know, fire and hot dripping wax — wax play can be a fun and accessible sensation-play option, as well as an excellent intro to BDSM.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
opinion

Staying Compliant to Avoid the Takedown Shakedown

Dealing with complaints is an everyday part of doing business — and a crucial one, since not dealing with them properly can haunt your business in multiple ways. Card brand regulations require every merchant doing business online to have in place a complaint process for reporting content that may be illegal or that violates the card brand rules.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More