CHATSWORTH, Calif.—The invitations have begun going out, and the RSVPs are already coming in. The venue has been booked, and the guest list is filling up with interesting characters. It’s going to be a great party!
Technically, it’ll be much more than a party. We’re talking about the activities planned for the participants of the AVN VIBE Program. Everything is taking place May 28-30 in New Orleans, America’s favorite party city. It’s known as NOLA, Nawlins, The Crescent City, The City That Care Forgot—but most of all it’s The Big Easy, and participants of the VIBE Program will find that this event is all about “Making Business Easy.”
Though the VIBE guests are there to have a good time, they’re also looking to make deals and forge connections while they’re in the ultimate party town. An exclusive, invitation-only program for the industry’s largest buyers, VIBE offers participants one-on-one meetings away from the noisy crowds, VIP dinners where they’ll be rubbing just the right shoulders, networking lunches that are both relaxing and productive, and rollicking parties that will help everyone wind down at night. It’s a balanced schedule that will make their time in the Big Easy both fun and profitable.
Guests will stay at the New Orleans Downtown Marriott and participate in special networking events that will bring together diverse sectors of the adult industry. Summer Internext is a networking extravaganza expected to draw 600 adult industry leaders from around the world. This is the 15th anniversary of Internext, and it represents a return to the location where the online industry show was born in the year 2000.
This show also marks the first time that the VIBE Program has been melded with Internext, and this marriage should ensure a vibrant mix of attendees. Studio heads, directors, distributors, licensers and retailers will mingle with exhibitors who embody every area of expertise and type of service needed to operate successfully in the adult online industry. Pick a sector in the adult industry, and there will be a market leader present and available for face time at Internext New Orleans.
The AVN VIBE Program, now in its fourth year, has been extremely successful as a component of the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, averaging more than 100 participants from around the world. VIBE’s overwhelming success at the Las Vegas show made it a natural to include as part of the New Orleans experience.
"I will definitely be attending the VIBE show in New Orleans," said Jake Campaign of Lion's Den. 'What I enjoy most about this show is the one-on-one time we get with the vendors. We communicate back and forth daily via email, phone, text, etc. ... but to actually get to sit down face-to-face in a quiet, organized setting and discuss the products, sales trends, and the industry as a whole is what really makes these shows great."
Matthew Weir of Romantix is another regular VIBE buyer who is coming to the Big Easy. “The best part of the VIBE program is the face time each buyer gets with the vendor," Weir said. "The VIBE allows all of us to meet with the vendor face-to-face without the ruckus of the show floor, therefore accomplishing more than ever before. Great program for everyone with more business being discussed than ever before."
Steve Lelenek of CW Whitewater echoed these thoughts: "This is a good opportunity to get some one-on-one time, along with some great deals, without all the fandom and hoopla."
Said Becky Merbler of Spice World/Spice Catalog about her participation with VIBE, “The meetings are very helpful. I am able to schedule out pages for studios months in advance. It keeps me organized and allows me to make sure all the studios get coverage in my catalogs. I feel like the face-to-face time allows me to better explain my needs for my catalog lines so I can put together the best books I can.”
Brian Sokol of TLA is happy to see the VIBE program expand. "Over the last few years, VIBE has blossomed into a robust, clearly defined resource for new business development," he said. "In this ever-changing market, an additional VIBE show offers us the chance to follow up with vendors on deals made in January and adjust accordingly based on consumer needs and desires. It's a logical next step toward consistent, targeted and measured growth opportunities."
To qualify as a VIBE buyer, please contact Timothy Ferencz at [email protected]
For exhibit opportunities, please contact [email protected].
For more information on VIBE, click here.
