LAS VEGAS—Every January, the industry’s leaders flock to The AVN Show in Las Vegas to rub shoulders with one another and learn about the latest business trends and hottest industry issues. To that end, the educational seminars and the keynote address at The AVN Show have become some of the best-attended events in the industry.
This year is no exception, as organizers expect some of the largest crowds ever for keynote speaker Emily “Sex With Emily” Morse and the seminars for the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo and the AVN Novelty Expo.
"I'm honored to be selected as the keynote speaker for the AVN Show in 2014,” Morse said. “The industry is moving in exciting directions, with greater acceptance of sex in mainstream culture. I look forward to sharing my experience growing a new media company over the past 10 years."
The 2014 AVN Show takes place Jan. 15-18, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. The Keynote Address will take place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16.
Morse will talk about her enthusiasm for the adult industry, and how she believes it’s a good time to be a part of the industry, in all aspects. As a brand and a business owner, Morse has personally overcome several obstacles, including a public that was not as open about sex and sexuality when she started her podcast.
As host of Sex With Emily, Morse has helped millions of people have the sex and relationships they want but could not figure out how to get. Emily has been voted the No. 1 dating and sex expert by DatingAdvice.com and the No. 1 dating and sex expert to follow on Twitter.
In addition to the special Keynote Address taking place Thursday, January 16, 2014, the AEE/ANE educational schedule will include a number of equally thought-provoking seminars featuring many of the industry’s most successful company owners and executives.
“During every show, AVN staffers get stopped in the halls by retailers and industry veterans who are raving about the seminars,” said Sherri L. Shaulis, senior editor of pleasure products for AVN. “We work hard to cover the important topics at hand, as well as get the most informative and entertaining participants on each panel. It’s rewarding to see our seminar rooms packed session after session, day after day, and year after year.”
The schedules have also been posted to the websites for each event.
Seminars are spread over the four days of the two shows:
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Trade Show Tips and Tricks (ANE/AEE)
10:00–11:00 a.m.
What are the schedules for seminars and other events? Where can I get the AEE app? When do the three show floors open—and which exhibits are where? Who will be appearing at the parties? And how do I keep from getting “convention crud”? AVN staffers—who, combined, have decades worth of AVN Adult Entertainment Expos under their belts—share their best tips to make the most out of your experience here.
Hazards of Home Parties In-House (ANE)
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Adult retailers are always looking for innovative ways to get new customers in their doors, and some have opted to offering a “home party” experience or educational classes for everyone from office co-workers to bachelorette parties. But pulling off a successful event entails more than you think. Panelists will discuss the hidden hazards of hosting such events.
Porn Goes to College (AEE)
1:00–2:00 p.m.
Recent years have seen a surge in the number of porn performers and producers invited to college campuses to talk about the adult entertainment industry. Sometimes the invitations have been controversial—a few have had to be rescinded—but they always extended the conversation about sex and porn. A panel of industry vets and academics will bring that conversation to AEE.
Dropping Knowledge (ANE)
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Distributors have started offering drop-shipping programs to help take the headaches out of maintaining an online store. There’s Adult Drop Shop, Store Extender, Build the Store and others. Representatives from such programs will touch on what they offer, and answer questions from attendees on what these programs can do for retailers.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Is the FDA on Its Way?
10:00–11:00 a.m.
We’re starting to see recalls of enhancement pills mandated by the Food and Drug Administration, and some manufacturers have run into snags trying to get products onto retailers’ shelves because of the government agency. Can we as an industry come together and regulate materials and practices ourselves, or is it only a matter of time before the government steps in?
Fact or Fiction? (AEE)
1:30–2:30 p.m.
We saw this seminar at another show and aren’t not too proud to steal it! The premise is simple: industry leaders representing a variety of sectors are confronted with a series of truisms about the adult industry and have to label each as “Myth” or “Truth”—and then explain why they answered the way they did. It’s like a game show and a reality show all rolled into one!
Legal Panel (ANE/AEE)
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Listen in as the industry’s leading lawyers dissect the most pressing current legal developments. From the 2257 litigation to Measure B to local issues affecting both online and brick-and-mortar retailers, the AEE/ANE legal panelists will bring you up to speed on what you need to know to protect your business. Come prepared with questions and take advantage of the expertise offered by this panel of experienced attorneys.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Avoiding the Blues After Fifty Shades of Grey Fades (AEE/ANE)
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The hullabaloo from the “mommy porn” trilogy is finally starting to die down, but so too are the sales. While the boost for adult retailers was nice while it lasted, some are finding it difficult to deal with sales numbers that seem lackluster after that big boon. Store owners and employees give us their advice on keeping things positive post-Fifty Shades.
The Feminist Porn Mystique (AEE)
1:00–2:00 p.m.
In the current international debate over pornography, feminist porn has become a hot topic of discussion. From Iceland to the U.K., feminists are calling for porn bans. But feminists also work in the industry, serving as creative and progressive influences. In this atmosphere, a few questions remain: What is feminist porn, who is really making it, and for whom? This is not just an academic issue, because it speaks to the increasing role of women in porn. This is actually an important business seminar on a vital subject.
31 Ways to Make Cash from Content (AEE)
2:30–3:30 p.m.
In this truly unique seminar our panelist of industry vets will walk the audience through 31 specific ways to make money from adult content. That’s right, 31 flavors of money courtesy of AEE. Come with pads and pencils; this is not a prank but the real deal!
What’s the Future of the Feature? (AEE)
4:00–5:00 p.m.
The point here is not to be negative but to realistically address the future of the porn feature—not a parody and not a short, but a full-fledged movie with an original (even if derivative) premise. Some of the industry’s greatest achievements have come in the form of features, but in a world of tube sites, mobile porn delivery and Adderall, is there still enough of an audience to make features economically viable, and if not, where will porn’s big-screen superstars be made?
For more than 30 years, AVN Media Network has presented a global platform for the companies and stars that make up the adult entertainment industry to present their products to the public while also coming together to do business with one another. Intermingled with the pure business, hundreds of the world’s most accomplished adult stars provide an injection of sex and energy into the show that helps explain why the AVN Show is the most reported-on event in adult entertainment industry history. There simply is nothing like it.
For 2014, all of the same education, networking and entertainment elements that went into making AVN Show 2013 such a successful and memorable series of event will remain in play, but the show organizers have also planned some very special additions to the schedule that are designed to add lasting value. Once again, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas will become ground central for this annual gathering of industry leaders, outstanding talent and the fans who adore them.
For show information, visit AVNShow.com.
