LOS ANGELES—Steven Hirsch, founder and co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment, will keynote the 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) with a discussion of the changing climate of the adult industry and the challenges that many studios, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers currently face. Joining him to moderate the discussion will be notable journalist Damon Brown, author of Porn & Pong: How Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider and Other Sexy Games Changed Our Culture. The keynote session, “Still on Top: How the Leading Adult Film company in the World Continues to Reinvent Itself,” will take place on Friday, Jan, 7, at 2:30 p.m. at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The adult entertainment industry has briskly evolved and continues to embrace new technology and business models,” noted show spokesperson Sean Devlin. “AEE is pleased to present the head of the world’s leading adult film company and one of the most recognized global brands, Vivid Entertainment, to remark on the changing adult market and discuss Vivid’s strategies to adapt.”
The 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, which will host the AVN Novelty Expo for the first time, will be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. AEE will run from Thursday, January 6 through Sunday, January 9, 2011, and the AVN Novelty Expo dates are January 6 – 8. Attendees can register online at www.AdultEntertainmentExpo.com
Steven Hirsch founded Vivid Entertainment in 1984 and is the co-chairman of the globally recognized company. Hirsch differentiated Vivid early on by signing beautiful talent, The Vivid Girls, to exclusive contracts, by developing films targeted for couples, and focusing on high production values and creating the first glamour magazine type packaging. The faces of Vivid Girls began appearing on billboards in high-traffic venues and regularly emerge in mainstream media.
Vivid is considered an industry pioneer and promoted many technological advances that have broadened distribution channels and content delivery systems. Most recently, Vivid popularized the “sex tapes” of celebrities such as Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian, Jimi Hendrix, Kendra Wilkinson, Montana Fishburne, and many others.
The company also made headlines this past year for its parodies of super heroes. Batman XXX: A Porn Parody from Axel Braun Productions is distributed by Vivid and was named Best Selling Movie by AVN.
Damon Brown is the author of several books, most recently Porn & Pong: How Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, and Other Sexy Games Changed Our Culture. Brown writes about sex, technology, music, and video games for Playboy, New York Post, Family Circle, and is the tech columnist for AARP Online and other publications. In 2009, Damon became Mobile Games Editor at About.com (http://mobilegames.about.com).
The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo is a one-of-a-kind tradeshow experience that combines business-to-business transactions, networking, knowledge-sharing, talent appearances, and special presentations for the public. The largest event of its kind, AEE showcases the most comprehensive collection of adult talent, exhibitors, and products, which attracts buyers and fans from around the world. The 2010 Expo hosted more than 20,000 attendees, scores of popular entertainers, and featured hundreds of exhibitors. New to 2011, the AVN Novelty Expo (ANE) will replace AEE’s B2B Marketplace, bringing to Las Vegas the same cutting-edge pleasure products and specialized seminars that made ANE a summer favorite. For more information about the Expo, including a list of exhibitors and events, refer to www.AdultEntertainmentExpo.com.
Thursday is restricted to trade attendees only, and special “trade only” hours on Friday and Saturday will provide exclusive access for industry professionals and the media in order to permit exhibitors to make and build business and media contacts before fans are allowed into the Expo.
Trade attendees who register before Dec. 15 will get a $125 early bird special rate. Trade registration provides an all-access badge which admits the holder to all AEE and ANE seminars, the main exhibit hall during all show hours, and access to the AVN Novelty Expo. For more information and to register for the trade event, visit www.AdultEntertainmentExpo.com.
Special Fan Tickets also available at early bird rates. The VIP Fan Package includes access to show floor an hour earlier than general admission, dedicated registration area, AEE Show Directory, and a complimentary T-shirt for $85. General Fan tickets are available now for $65 before Dec. 15.
The 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo will run concurrently with the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on all four days. The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo is not affiliated with CES.
The 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo sets the stage for the AVN Awards Show, which will be held at the Palms Resort and Casino, on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011. The annual AVN Awards Show is the premier gala of adult video and recognizes titles, individuals, and companies for contributions to and excellence in the industry. Please note that a separate ticket is required for admission to the AVN Awards Show. For more information on the AVN Awards, please visit AVNAwards.com
Digital Playground is the official Press Room Sponsor of the 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo.
To exhibit at the 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo January Robbins at [email protected] or call (818) 718-5788. To exhibit at the 2011 AVN Novelty expo, contact Sara Harter at [email protected] or call (818) 718-5788 ext. 109.
