LOS ANGELES — There is much more to last Friday’s Twitter announcement that Romi Rain is the new brand ambassador for CAM4.
A few weeks ago, XBIZ was exclusively invited at the artsy DTLA loft/photo studio where CAM4’s Program Manager for Content Gwen Coleman was overseeing the promo shoot for Rain’s ambassadorship.
The official announcement last Friday, to prepare for Rain’s appearance in Exxxotica New Jersey this week, featured the always-stunning 2018 XBIZ Female Performer of the Year decked in an array of CAM4-branded swimsuits.
At the loft, industry stalwart Chris Streams directed Rain through a series of classic poses, with videographer Keep shooting promo footage and a choice, stylish soundtrack playing from speakers over a table covered in CAM4 cupcakes.
For Rain, the camming site pulled the full-on fashion-shoot treatment.
“I am pleased to announce I am one of CAM4’s brand ambassadors,” Rain taking a break from being adored by the lens and settling herself next to us on a velvet settee.
She revealed that she and CAM4 had actually chosen each other. “I get approached all the time for partnerships,” says Rain, “but I decided to go with CAM4 because they were one of the few I’ve been approached by that wasn’t limiting.”
Rain told the company about her personal goals — traveling more, shooting in exotic places — and they were enthusiastic.
“I get to hire models, videographers, makeup artists, my fellow performers!” Rain explained. “Chris Streams over here, he’s an amazing photographer who hired me when I was starting out, and I’m so happy to be in a position to get him a job now.”
She also was given the budget to hire one of her favorite makeup artists, Makeup by Marine, and Keep (aka KeepYahJoy), her trailers expert.
“CAM4 is all about teamwork,” Rain added. “They were great about my ideas for feature shows. For me, it’s about performer freedom and control, and CAM4 is allowing me to do that.”
Porn’s Brunette Bombshell tells us she does not have to make any effort to oversell the brand, since their business differentiators from the competition are things she cares about and would happily endorse.
“CAM4 has the highest payouts in the entire cam industry,” she says, “Most of the other webcam have a conversion of $.05 per token. CAM4 is $.10 per token.”
The company approached her because of her charisma and cross-market popularity. “CAM4 has the market internationally, Romi adds. "They’re trying to expand to the U.S. This is where so many of the performers live and they really wanna be ‘performer first’.”
Rain has always been vocal about her allegiance to camming, even after becoming a noted, bona fide porn star. “If it wasn’t for webcamming, where I started, I wouldn’t be here,” she confesses. “I love webcamming in addition to being a performer. We can make more money than ever without being told what to do.”
And as a brand ambassador, Rain feels that there’s an incentive to share her expertise with other performers. “They’re open to my ideas,” she said, “they are open to growing with me. It feels like a real partnership. I’m allowed to shoot by any other companies and market my own site. It’s not ‘we own you.’ They see the value I can bring to the table.”
“Let’s get the champagne out and put her in the other swimsuit,” said a production assistant. The star is called back to cap the shoot and the announcement with the traditional uncorking of the bubbly.
CAM4’s Gwen Coleman takes the seat Rain has just vacated and tells us about the company’s ambitious rebranding plans.
“We want to focus on building North America,” she said. “I wanted big names, and Romi was the first one I thought of.”
Though Coleman refers to Rain as “our first ‘official’ CAM4 ambassador,” she clarifies that they’ve had ambassadors before, but “Romi is the first for this ambassador program that we are launching as part of this new wave for CAM4.”
"We are doing a promo shoot for the announcement of our first official cam ambassador. "This is a unique, new phase of CAM4, with brand-new energy,” Coleman explains. “We want to dismantle the idea the CAM4 is only for amateurs. We want to do many more collaborations like the ambassador program.”
“CAM4,” Coleman wants the industry to know, “is on the rise.”
According to the Program Manager for content, if you are a model, the benefits of being with CAM4 include daily pay, marketing support and promotion, coaching and training, contests, opportunities for models to do unique and fun shows and an expanding market around the world.
“We have the international market down,” Coleman explains, “but in terms of North America we are boosting out our brand. We are here to push the boundaries. No limits.”
The brand’s aggressive, expansive strategy means an investment on key partnerships.
Coleman wants to get the word out that they are looking for ambassadors and studios to partner up with, and also that they want to diversify their roster of ambassadors.
“CAM4 is for everyone at the end of the day,” she concludes.
Rain has changed into yet another branded swimsuit and she’s figuring out the logistics for getting all the champagne uncorking footage needed in one take. She pow-wows with Streams and Keep, positioning everyone so they won’t get hit by the flying cork and also catch the alcoholic pop shot.
Gwen smiles in her direction. “She’s the perfect brand ambassador,” she says. “She’s always engaging everywhere. She’s consistent and has a great personality.”
“I mean, look at her now.”
The cork hits the ceiling. Rain gasps and smiles, as a foamy geyser of delicious sparkling wine hits her iconic curves in all the right places.
