Saluations,
The biggest change I’d say I’ve seen is the shift back to business focus. The fans have been watching what’s going on up top.
Down below, where fans can’t get to is the business to business section, which is growing steadily.
Most of these guys, even the newbies, have an old school sense of the money comes first. If the booth doesn’t at least pay for itself and the trip, it’s a loss, no matter how many fans were there.
Down below, our client, Joy Hollywood, did great sales numbers for their Erotic Embrace sex toys, and LubeXXX lubricants. That justified the trip, but they couldn’t get those exact results up top with their buyers tripping over fans and screaming over the loud music to close a sale.
Up top, our client Ninn Worx did well, but they have specific large distributors they work with regularly. They had the luxury of winning hearts and minds of the fans.
Personally, as a publicist, I feel it’s important to have a presence with the fans, but it doesn’t have to dominate the show to make a good impression. However, most of these companies are literally sales-driven. If they don’t see tangible results in sales, they won’t see the value in spending large amounts of money to flaunt their wares in front of fans.
Hopefully, the convention can allow for a happier middle ground.
Best wishes always,
Jay Moyes
Black And Blue Media
Let’s hope its a hiccup. I’ve never been to AEE, but it has been a dream (and the source of countless wet ones) for years now. Thanks for the insight surrounding costs and profit margins. The possible upside of stiffer competition could shake things up a bit and convert to true talent on the screen - give the big guns a run for their money.
Left by Tony on January 15th, 2008