Adult Online Europe began Nov. 16, on a soggy Wednesday afternoon, at the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam. The show opened at exactly 4 p.m., with attendees brushing raindrops from their shoulders—a bit damp, but eager to do business.
Claudio Menegati of SatVision summed up the general consensus of the show. “AOE is a good opportunity for seeing old friends. I’ve been to the show five or six times and it’s a nice show for networking. And, the conferences are great for learning about new trends.” The complimentary beers were also a big hit.
North American exhibitors included: Paycom EU, which just launched their billing services in the European market; Adult Chamber; AVN Online;Mobile Streaming Solutions; MyVirtualCard.com; and Searchboxxx.
Joey Bransky of MyVirtualCard explained that they consistently exhibit at AOE because European attendees are focused on business and are there to seek particular solutions, which means that for exhibitors, business is done almost immediately.
“It’s a wonderful show, and we’re happy to be here. Great business-oriented show,” enthused Paycom EU’s Amanda Gross.
Some notable European exhibitors included: Playboy UK, which just launched their affiliate program and were so inundated with interest that they invited folks into their inner sanctum by appointment only; InterClimax; SexMoney; Intermax Group; Mobile Bridges; PasswordByPhone.com; Wapme Group; PayNowSMS; and DA Group. Intermax, who occupied the busiest space on the show floor, was the food sponsor and inevitably drew the throng to the back of the exhibit hall each day with coffee and a lavish spread.
Emerging companies exhibiting for the first time included Tranent B.V., Russian Mobile Erotic, Worldwide Telemedia, Russian Mobile Entertainment, Mglamour, and Wink Group, whose affiliate program offers sports enthusiasts a chance to see cheerleaders “flash” scores while keeping sports fans abreast of the action.
Following the close of the show’s first day, parties included a co-sponsored event thrown by MyVirtualCard, NTS, and ePay at the popular Fellows Pub, and a Hookah party thrown by Red Stone with belly dancers and exotic African cuisine.
The second day opened up with high expectations and the convivial atmosphere of contented partygoers. Robin Clark of Intermax claimed to have had so much fun the night before that he lost his voice, but was present nonetheless to conduct business.
In comparing shows in the U.S. and Europe, InterClimax CEO Ben Jelloun stated, “AOE is a good show for companies looking for aggregate or business solutions. America has the Internet wrapped up, hands down, but European companies are very concentrated on the mobile platform.”
Alex Reus, CEO of Mobile Bridges, explained his philosophy of why mobile will be the upcoming expansion for the adult entertainment industry and why attending AOE is so important for doing business. “While adult entertainment accessed through the Internet hits its peak after traditional work hours, that same entertainment can be enjoyed all day long through a more portable and private delivery system, such as mobile, just about anywhere and at anytime—during lunch, with a coffee break, even while using the toilet.”
Mobile continued to be an important part of the event. For the first time, a Vodafone representative spoke at the conference, demonstrating the increasing importance of adult content and services to the wider mobile community.
The third day opened up with hard partygoers making a beeline toward the coffee area before settling into their booths to conduct one last day of business. There were some new faces attending the show, even though the last day was really a half day.
Mark from Searchboxxx summed it up. “It’s only our second time exhibiting, but it was a fantastic show.”
