Page 46 - AVN December 2013

THE JOY OF TECH | By A.J. Hall
Supplying the Demanding Consumers will pay for fantasy, information, entertainment
AJ Hall is a 13-year adult industry veteran and the co-
founder and CEO of award-winning adult software com-
pany Elevated X Inc., a provider of popular adult CMS
software. Hall has spoken at industry trade shows and
is a contributing writer for several trade publications.
Elevated X powers more than 2,000 leading adult sites.
For some studio
owners, earning
10 per cent to
20 percent of
what they c ould be
earning is better
than nothing,
but others may
want to set their
sights higher—
much higher.
”
TECH NEWS
Nearly a decade has passed since broadband became affordable and online
porn consumption became an industry standard, yet adult’s leading studios
are still struggling to use the web to its full potential.
If content is king, studio owners should be sitting atop an empire of gold.
In a time of wall-to-wall, mass consumption, free tubes and free porn
overload, the studios have been lost. A few have partnered with big cash
programs and management companies who quickly cannibalized their con-
tent, forcing it into the mold used by their paysite sales machine to squeeze
out every penny possible by doing the least amount of work. And perhaps
for some studio owners, earning 10 percent to 20 percent of what they could
be earning is better than nothing, but others may want to set their sights
higher—much higher.
Despite the downturn in recent years, we’re entering a new era. It’s one
where erotica and porn are generally accepted and in many circles sexuality is
considered a healthy part of human existence. Smart companies are embrac-
ing this.
New markets are emerging. Mainstream culture is eating up graphic
erotica novels and cable shows about swinging are the subject of water-cooler
conversation. Young adults today find porn to be less taboo. It’s common for
women to talking openly about sex toys and adult videos with their girl-
friends. Surprisingly, many are discussing sex in mixed company. More
couples of all ages are enjoying porn together as a
regular part of the sexual routine.
For studio owners this means new markets, several
of them.
There are no DVDs to hide, no more big cable bills
to worry about and no parental controls to remember
to set. In today’s world everything is kept neat and tidy
and completely secure behind a four-digit passcode on
a mobile device. It’s ready for instant viewing at any
time. It’s happening not on cable or pay-per-view but
by way of a set-top box or via an iPad or iPhone and
their Apple TV. High-speed mobile networks and in-
home wi-fi has opened new doors both technically and
sexually.
From a content standpoint, the canned production
format that worked great five and ten years ago isn’t
working as well anymore. The customer this appealed
to is now several years older and has been replaced by a
new breed of smart consumer who isn’t going to pay a
monthly fee to see 500 different women get fucked up
the ass in the exact same way but on a different sofa.
46 | AVN.com | 12.13