Decadence, baby: GFY’s first foray into Europe with the Webmaster Access shows epitomized the term.
Saturday’s activities wrapped things up, but the tone was firmly established by The Hun, Cybercat, and PussyCash Friday evening. Hosted by the three companies, the Mellow Yellow party in the domed former church adjoining the hotel featured lush white carpets and beds, chocolate fountains, and DJs spinning their discs from the pulpit high above the crowd.
Have I mentioned the gorgeous women from Modelvilla.com and 6-chats trolling the show or the delicious food provided by Paycom EU? I have now. In addition to Mellow Yellow, The Hun played a crucial role in the event as a whole. Event organizer and GFY marketing director Eric Matis credited the guys from The Hun with helping to set up the show, which had approximately 275 attendees.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Mattis said.
Matis already is laying the groundwork to return the show to the same venue – the city’s Renaissance Hotel – next year.
Hey, it wasn’t all out-and-out decadent debauchery though. There were business matters to attend to as well.
Saturday concluded with three seminars: content, processing, and state of the industry. “I’ve heard those same topics discussed 100 times,” you say? Well, the eclectic mix in this lineup hit several issues that kept the equally eclectic international crowd interested.
Mr. Solo-Girl Site himself, Steve Lightspeed, addressed the crowd about his specialty during the content seminar, touching on the sudden proliferation of single-girl sites.
“There’s a solo-girl site popping up every day, but I don’t know if the market has reached saturation and I don’t know if it can,” Lightspeed said, citing the unique personality each girl has.
Industry convergence was also a hot issue. While it’s popular for webmasters to take shots at video producers’ online endeavors – or lack thereof – some believe it’s only a matter of time before all video companies fully enter the online marketplace.
“I think [the difference between online and brick-and-mortar adult entertainment] is changing,” said photographer Max Candy. “Entertainment is entertainment in its various different forms. I think we’re very close to convergence.”
Content producer Charlie Markham of Paul Markham Content agreed, “In the future, I think the big competition for the online producers is going to be the Wickeds and the Vivids of the world. They have extraordinarily deep pockets.”
Of course, not everyone is sold on the idea. RealityCash and GFY owner Joe Lensman said he doesn’t think video producers’ content can be effectively repurposed for the Web because it doesn’t necessarily cater to a specific group.
A state-of-the-industry seminar closed out the day, and if there was anything to be taken from it, it’s that all Americans are going to hell in a handbasket. Among the topics discussed were the U.S. government’s assault on porn pushers, Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee John Roberts, and CAN-SPAM.
“The international programs, we envy you a little bit because you don’t have to deal with the spam laws,” Lensman told the crowd.
Despite some of the bad vibes being felt, the industry isn’t going anywhere. However, adaptation will be necessary. CCBill CEO Ron Cadwell predicted that age verification concerns might eventually lead to the end of free sites.
“This isn’t the end of adult,” Cadwell said. “The content is just going to have to be behind some sort of credit card protection… I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing. It means more money for all of us.”
