This week we're pleased to have the opportunity to catch up with Katy Zvolerin, director of public relations for Adam & Eve (www.adameve.com). Adam & Eve is definitely a leader in the synergy department, a term we're very fond of here at AVN Online headquarters (the dictum from our Editor that each staffer utter the word "synergy" at least 10 times per day is a bit much, but whatever).
With a host of exciting Internet endeavors launched since they hit they Web in '95 that seamlessly meld with the company's longtime business operations in the adult industry (30-plus years), the Adam & Eve brand continues to bask in the spotlight.
In this episode Zvolerin discusses VOD, the power of good instincts, and why being on the cover of Forbes might not be such a grand idea after all.
Tripp Daniels: How essential is VOD to the Adam & Eve website?
Katy Zvolerin: VOD is becoming more essential as technology improves and the public looks for new avenues for receiving entertainment. Adam & Eve is consistently updating and improving our website to meet the ever-changing expectations of a savvy audience. And as more people get high-speed Internet access at home, VOD will be the driving force for future entertainment sales for Adameve.com
Is there a specific feature (or features) on the site that seems to be especially popular with webmasters and surfers?
The functionality of the Adameve.com search engine has made it extremely popular. We've cross-referenced adult star names, movie titles, and products, and this has greatly improved the customer's ability to find exactly what he or she is looking for. We also utilize search engine spidering and feeds to allow webmasters to choose how to market our products on their sites.
How important is it to keep your finger on the pulse of the webmaster community, to know what it is they want and to stay ahead of the creative curve?
It's imperative to stay ahead of the curve. The webmaster community is 20 percent of our total sales for Adameve.com. Going to industry shows, reading webmaster boards, and meeting with fellow competitors helps us stay ahead of the creative curve.
What were you doing before you arrived here in adult entertainment?
I was a publicist in New York.
What's the key(s) to success in a crowded adult Internet market?
Adam & Eve has over 30 years of experience and millions of satisfied customers. We bring that history and brand recognition, as well as cutting-edge technology and superior adult entertainment, with us to the Adameve.com site. The public knows whom we are—and that we aren't a fly-by-night operation. There is security and safety in ordering.
What is AdamEveGold.com all about?
AdamEveGold.com is the Adam & Eve entertainment site. It has photo galleries, erotic stories, movies, webcams, and more. Many people think of Adameve.com as an online catalog, but AdamEveGold.com is an excellent avenue of delivery for adult entertainment.
What's the best/worst advice you've ever gotten?
The best would be to trust my instincts. Instinct is there for a reason! The worst is probably "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Who wants to catch flies, anyway?
Is there a CEO at a mainstream, or adult, company that you admire for his or her business insight or what he or she has achieved?
Definitely Adam & Eve president Phil Harvey. He started this hugely successful business with a single condom ad in 1969. He went against the grain and stood by his convictions when it wasn't always pleasant to do so. And he still maintains an open-door policy with every employee at Adam & Eve.
Looking back to when you started in this business, is there anything you would have done differently?
Probably, but there's a lesson learned in every mistake.
Have any advice for future business leaders out there?
Trust your instincts! No one ever made a mark in history by playing it safe.
Where do you see Adameve.com five years from now?
In five years, I see Adameve.com as the premiere provider of top-quality adult entertainment and products delivered through any means available—always discreetly and securely.
If you were to one day appear on the cover of Forbes what would you like the headline to read?
I can't answer this one; it's like writing your own eulogy!
