How can AVN woo us back?

[Dzinerbear]

I never got much out of the AVN shows themselves. They seemed to be an excuse for everyone to gather in one place. And of course, it was meeting old friends and making news ones and business contacts that made the show. But the shows themselves: registration is disorganization and hard to find, signage is unclear, it's a 40,000 mile hike from your room to the show, the seminars are the same year after year, the show floor is abyssmally boring. And August's show is at a Westin Diplomat Hotel (This is a smoke-free hotel. Breathe Westin(TM)) how is that going to go over with the porn crowd? And of course there are the rumours that there's not even going to be a show in Vegas in January.

So, what do you think AVN needs to do to woo us back to their events?

Michael

[Xstr8guy]

Forgive my ignorance but are the AVN events a poor experience just for the gay sector or is it the straight sector too? If the straight sector is thriving, they may not see a need to change things.

[basschick]

unless i'm remembering wrong, the first thing avn needs to do is stop holding their events simultaneously with other events. taking people away from another event is sort of like stealing traffic.

[hdkbill]

I doubt that we will ever be attending another AVN event. The shows have turned into an excuse to party rather than an event where we go in order to network or attend seminars to learn new things or re-learn things we've forgotten.

Traffic, expensive rooms, excessive costs, long travel times, confusion, lack of quality seminars, etc., etc., just makes the event less and less desireable each year. Unless, of course, you just want to go to a very expensive party.

Bill

[gaybucks_chip]

August's show is at a Westin Diplomat Hotel

Two years in a row, we went to the Diplomat and the hotel's service was so abysmally bad both years, I finally filed a formal complaint with corporate and said, in so many words, they needed to fire the general manager. I got a call from him, but didn't let him off the hook. I'm guessing it will be more of the same this year.

As for the conference itself... 2005 was better than 2004, but so sparsely attended that it's hardly worth going, and this year, I keep hearing that NOBODY is attending.

And of course there are the rumours that there's not even going to be a show in Vegas in January.

Straight from Chad Beecher at AVN, that isn't a rumor. He says there will *not* be an Internext in Vegas in January, but that they *might* have one at some other time of the year, and/or in a different place.

I've heard rumors of a collaboration between AVN and somebody else on a new trade show for gay webmasters (this in addition to Gay Phoenix Forum) but no details yet.

So, what do you think AVN needs to do to woo us back to their events?

A. Price things more reasonably. CCBill manages to get enough sponsors to provide free food/drinks, excellent conferences, great resources, and webmasters pay nothing except their hotel bill. AVN could learn from this.

B. Don't hire lowest-bid fast food rejects to handle registration. Spend the extra 50 cents an hour and get people who aren't 800 years old, and can type and process registrations quickly and efficiently.

C. Scrap the entire seminar format and start from the ground up. Don't use any of the same people (except, perhaps, the attorneys) Come up with new topics.

D. Have someone that ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO MODERATE moderating the seminars to prevent one or two blowhards from monopolizing the topic.

Or, a shorthand way of saying this:

Hire CCBill to run your shows.

[EonFilms_Rocky]

Two years in a row, we went to the Diplomat and the hotel's service was so abysmally bad both years, I finally filed a formal complaint with corporate and said, in so many words, they needed to fire the general manager. I got a call from him, but didn't let him off the hook. I'm guessing it will be more of the same this year.

As for the conference itself... 2005 was better than 2004, but so sparsely attended that it's hardly worth going, and this year, I keep hearing that NOBODY is attending.
We are going, because we have movies to promote. Not sure about getting a booth, though.


Straight from Chad Beecher at AVN, that isn't a rumor. He says there will *not* be an Internext in Vegas in January, but that they *might* have one at some other time of the year, and/or in a different place.
I always said they should switch Florida and Vegas around... so that we get nice warm weather in Florida come January (instead if suffereing through hurricane season in August) and nice Las vegas heat in August, instead of rain and the cold and occasional snow that we get in January.

I've heard rumors of a collaboration between AVN and somebody else on a new trade show for gay webmasters (this in addition to Gay Phoenix Forum) but no details yet.


A. Price things more reasonably. CCBill manages to get enough sponsors to provide free food/drinks, excellent conferences, great resources, and webmasters pay nothing except their hotel bill. AVN could learn from this.
Well put. I spend thousands on Internext every six months and it barely gets me any return business. Just an expensive way to show your face.

B. Don't hire lowest-bid fast food rejects to handle registration. Spend the extra 50 cents an hour and get people who aren't 800 years old, and can type and process registrations quickly and efficiently.
Try having 5-6 models lined up for registration with the type of person you described... Las Vegas was a nightmare.

C. Scrap the entire seminar format and start from the ground up. Don't use any of the same people (except, perhaps, the attorneys) Come up with new topics.
I even question using the attorneys... it's been the same "booga booga they're gonna GETCHA so hire us before they come-a-knockin" crap for the 4 years I've been attending. That's why I shoot movies instead of going to the seminars

D. Have someone that ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO MODERATE moderating the seminars to prevent one or two blowhards from monopolizing the topic.

Or, a shorthand way of saying this:

Hire CCBill to run your shows.
YAY FOR PATRICK!!

Comments listed above in white font...

:-P

Rocky

[Dzinerbear]

No one has commented on Westin's no smoking policy (the entire hotel is non-smoking). How do you think this will go over with our crowd.

Cheers
Michael

[hdkbill]

No one has commented on Westin's no smoking policy (the entire hotel is non-smoking). How do you think this will go over with our crowd.

Cheers
Michael

It's going to kill the crowd. I wasn't going anyway, but as a smoker, I refuse to stay in a place that believe they have the right to infringe on my rights.

Bill

[EonFilms_Rocky]

It's going to kill the crowd. I wasn't going anyway, but as a smoker, I refuse to stay in a place that believe they have the right to infringe on my rights.

Bill

Bill,

Don't you live in California (at least part-time)? And hasn't California been smoke-free in public places (bars, restaurants, etc) since 1994?

Rocky

[Lee]

The Westin has always been a non-smoking hotel, certainly for the last 3 years anyhow $0.02

Regards,

Lee

[A_DeAngelo]

Yeah, I think that CCBill would do a nice job of running the event.

They really know how to manage and plan an event...those Networking Guides they published for the Phoenix Forum are sensational and a handy tool too! (we like handy tools)

[hdkbill]

Bill,

Don't you live in California (at least part-time)? And hasn't California been smoke-free in public places (bars, restaurants, etc) since 1994?

Rocky

Hi Rocky,

Yes, I live in California part time and in Delaware the rest of the year. Oddly enough both states have identical laws and that really doesn't bother me. But the laws do not apply to large hotels generaly over 25 or 30 rooms. So it bothers me if a hotel chooses to go completely non-smoking. It is, of course, their choice, but I then can choose where to spend my money.

Last time I went to the Westin it was non smoking in all public areas and I have no problem with that as I respect the rights of others. But, when I am in my room and I'm paying for it, I should be able to smoke in it if I choose to. Whether it is a room for one night, or my home, it is my "castle" and the choice should be mine.

Bill

[EonFilms_Rocky]

Hi Rocky,

Yes, I live in California part time and in Delaware the rest of the year. Oddly enough both states have identical laws and that really doesn't bother me. But the laws do not apply to large hotels generaly over 25 or 30 rooms. So it bothers me if a hotel chooses to go completely non-smoking. It is, of course, their choice, but I then can choose where to spend my money.

Last time I went to the Westin it was non smoking in all public areas and I have no problem with that as I respect the rights of others. But, when I am in my room and I'm paying for it, I should be able to smoke in it if I choose to. Whether it is a room for one night, or my home, it is my "castle" and the choice should be mine.

Bill

So smoke in it. What are they going to do... kick you out? They will be making so much money off of this damn thing that they will turn the other cheek.

There was an instance two years ago when Karl & Morgan had a party in their room. There were naked boys running around all over the place. Some hotel patron (not there for internext) walked by the room's open door and saw some nude boys mingling with the crowd of gathered webmasters and called hotel management to complain. The cops were called and otel management became involved.

A few words were exchanged from Chad Beecher to the management of the Westin and the situation was suddenly overlooked and the party resumed.

For the millions of dollars the Westin receives when we arrive for our three days in August (from the price of the convention halls & rooms to food & drinks), I am sure they will overlook a little smoke in a room... I know you wouldn't be the only one who would smoke in their suite.

Rocky

[hdkbill]

Rocky,

Yeah, I remember hearing about that party. If we decided to come, which is unlikely since I really don't think the costs can be justified for what little business we'd get from the event, we'd stay at one of the Gay Guest Houses that appreciates our business.....and has a sling room set up:yeah: Much more fun!

For the cost of attending I can run 6 months of full page ads in the Adult Store Buyer and get a much better bang for my buck.

But, if you go....have a blast!

Bill

[EonFilms_Rocky]

Personally I never stay at the Westin. I just go and hang out at the pool and socialize or shoot some models in between checking out the convention floor or hanging out at our booth. I usually stay at a Holiday Inn or some other affordable hotel where the cost of a week's stay is as much as one night in the Westin.

This year I have to go... we are promoting our new movie(s) and need to be seen.

Rocky