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Articles by Erika Icon

opinion

How to Know When It’s Time to Get a Publicist

Many people know what a publicist is thanks to fictional characters like Shauna Roberts on “Entourage” and Samantha Jones on “Sex in the City,” but few people know exactly what we do.

Erika Icon ·
opinion

It's All in the Package

English may be spoken pretty much everywhere around the world, but anything you buy these days from televisions to cars come with instructions in at least three different languages. Toy manufacturers have begun using multiple languages (French, Spanish, English and German top the list) not only to sell their products in other countries, but also to deal with the influx of foreign consumers that reside here in the U.S. By creating one package with multiple appeal, they not only save money (no need to produce multiple packages for each toy), but they can reach an audience that speaks other languages. With the toy market rapidly expanding despite a bad economy, multilingual packaging is finding a new way to line the pockets of major manufacturers.

Erika Icon ·
trends

Adult Stars and Social Networking

Virtually every known company and industry star has their own MySpace page, many use Facebook and tons are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon. They do it to garner votes for awards, book gigs, sell DVDs and push their clients.

Erika Icon ·
opinion

Social Networking: Working It

Times are tough. You want your product, performer and/or agency to be marketed, promoted and ultimately branded to the consumer. But, funds are limited. Using MySpace, Facebook and Twitter allows anyone to advertise and market themselves for free. Virtually every known company and industry star has their own MySpace page, many use Facebook and tons are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon. They do it to garner votes for awards, book gigs, sell DVDs and push their clients.

Erika Icon ·

Being on Center Stage

Does being a performer give some agents a leg up? After surveying some performers-turned-agents, there is no denying being in front of the camera gives an agent an advanced skill set on booking talent and managing their clients – they’ve been there, done that. Agents like Derek Hay and Lisa Ann are familiar with the everyday struggles talent go through, which they feel make it easier to relate to their charges. Here’s what several prominent performers and agents had to say.

Erika Icon ·

Step Into The Arena

Being a talent agent in the adult industry is very similar to being a boxer. You need to constantly defend your title, flex your muscles and train (well, in this case work) hard. For many years there were only a handful of agencies monopolizing the industry, chiefly Jim South’s World Modeling. But as in any competitive and lucrative business, people see the ability to earn a living and more talent agencies have cropped up within the last few years. This is a profile of eight of the more prominent and growing concerns that manage some of the best talent in the business.

Erika Icon ·
trends

VOD: The Place to Be

In the current Internet age, studios have lots of options when it comes to licensing their content: work with online video on demand delivery sites like Gamelink or AEBN, use members' areas like World Wide Content and The Content Store and/or choose streaming video on a paysite that uses feeds from providers like Almighty Content.

Erika Icon ·
opinion

Wrap It Up, I'll Take It

Despite a steep decline in DVD sales and rentals, lingerie sales are up and showing no sign of decline. Retail chains and boutiques are looking to capitalize on this. Sure customers could head to their local Victoria’s Secret. But the type of customer that heads to Castle Megastores, Fairvilla or A Touch of Romance want kink, value and a good selection.

Erika Icon ·

Banking on Affiliates

Tough times call for tough measures — retail is being hit hard by the ever-changing economy. Brick-and-mortar stores are suffering from low sales, high rent and issues with zoning laws. This is causing many chains and boutique stores to close.

Erika Icon ·

Retail Focus: Evolution of the Clamshell

Sex toy manufacturers and retailers are faced with a new challenge as a new demographic of consumers emerges: Produce and sell toys that appeal to the women and couples of Generation X and Y.

trends

Evolution of the Clamshell

Sex toy manufacturers and retailers are faced with a challenge as a new demographic of consumers emerges: Produce and sell toys that appeal to the women and couples of Generation X and Y.

Erika Icon ·