CHATSWORTH, Calif.—In a down economy when many adult businesses across all sectors are struggling to wring profits from old and new business models alike, has AVN overreached by holding an ambitious new trade show?
When the industry’s leading media company announced the concept of The AVN Show to be held Aug. 5-8, at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Fla., many were no doubt wondering what happened to the current shows: Internext, AVN Novelty Expo, and the Adult Entertainment Expo.
"We have taken the key elements from all of our successful business conferences, ANE, Internext, and the AVN Adult Expo, and brought them all together under one roof," said Darren Roberts, AVN's chief executive. "Our focus is on driving new business to the various market sectors and having meaningful conversations about sustainable growth."
The buzz word enveloping the industry over the past few years is synergy. While most buzz words jump the shark immediately upon introduction into the collective lexicon, synergy is the perfect term to describe the compelling business moves many companies have undertaken in the recent past.
The synergy in capitalizing on new markets has led to the crumbling of imaginary walls that separated various sectors of the industry from one another. It’s become necessary for survival, in many cases, for companies with seemingly disparate products, markets and motives to partner up in order to tap into the other’s expertise and skill.
Adult studios New Sensations and Digital Playground starting toy lines, Evil Angel partnering to launch membership sites with Gamma Entertainment, and Wicked Pictures joining forces with RealDoll to create replicas of its contract stars are just a few examples of the dynamic synergy currently taking place in adult.
“With our advanced technology, it was vital to show the most important people how PinpointsX and PPX to-go work, in an environment that is engaging, and ultimately, will bring us more business. The AVN Show was the perfect opportunity for us to do this,” PinpointsX Founder and President Ronen Gabbay said. “While discretionary spending on sponsorships and advertising has to undergo more scrutiny than ever before, the concept of The AVN Show gives our company a place to gain maximum reach and keep our costs respectable.
“The industry has more synergy than ever before, and PinPointsX is the kind of technology we are confident that other companies will want to learn more about and do business with.”
“This is the aim of The AVN Show: to bring all sectors of the industry—adult studios, webmasters, traffic brokers, toy & novelty companies, billing companies, retailers and more—under one roof in a comfortable, functional setting in which to conduct business,” said Roberts.
Is it risky holding a bigger show in clearly leaner times for many? Unequivocally, yes. But The AVN Show most accurately reflects the opportunity for forward-thinkers to meet the people that can propel their businesses forward into the cutting edge of the next decade.
In a calendar positively choked with the same old B2B trade shows, The AVN Show will provide the impetus to do business and network outside your “bubble” in an immersive, interactive B2B experience.
In today’s times, sometimes taking risks yield the biggest rewards.
