Page 18 - AVN June 2013

EditorsDesk_06.13 5/22/13 1:09 PM Page 18
WE’VE GOT ISSUES | By Sharan Street
New in Town
F Fr re es sh h g gi ir rl ls s, , t to oy ys s . .. .. . a an nd d a aw wa ar rd ds s
In many of life’s situations, being “the new girl” isn’t easy. Cliques at school or work can
be tough to break into, and new girls can’t use longtime buddies for backup. But there’s
one place where the new girl has an advantage, and that’s in adult entertainment. Everyone
wants to see the new girl, meet the new girl, touch the new girl … nail the new girl.
That brings us to AVN’s annual Fresh issue, where we survey the current crop of porn
hopefuls and pick out a handful of budding starlets who seem capable of flowering into
bona fide adult stars. Looking over recent Fresh issues will yield many examples of ones
who have. Kagney Linn Karter, Chanel Preston, Gracie Glam, Riley Reid, Remy
LaCroix—these new girls caught our eye when their careers were beginning.
In addition to tackling the pleasurable task of choosing these promising starlets (16 in
all, including one TS performer), AVN’s Steve Javors, Mark Kernes and Peter Warren,
with assistance from reporter Tod Hunter, also took a look at other newcomers: DVD
series and lines, as well as adult companies that have recently stepped onto the scene.
Inside this issue you’ll also find articles on trends relevant to those in the pleasure
products side of the business. One is the imminent release of Osphena, a drug to treat
dyspareunia, or painful intercourse—a condition that can be eased at least partially by
many of the products that our readers carry on their shelves. Find out more on page 64.
Pleasure products editor Sherri L. Shaulis reports on another development in the field.
Throughout the years, she notes, there have been many advances in vibrator technology.
But vibes have shared one thing in common: They all relied on the same type of motor.
Now, some companies are exploring other options, as you can read about on page 66.
Also new this issue is the Crowdsourcing column. Each month, leaders in the online
adult industry will share their insights on different topics. This month they were asked,
“What is the most interesting new software, service or business tool that you have started
using in the last six months?” To find out their answers, go to page 46.
Perhaps the biggest new thing—for us, at least—is The Sex Awards. Jointly produced
by the X3Sixty Network and AVN Media Network, this is the first consumer-voted adult
awards show to be broadcast on a national television network. (For more, see page 62.)
Does the adult industry need another awards show? It’s a question that some might
raise. And in response, here’s another question: Does the adult industry need more main-
stream exposure? The answer there must be a resounding yes—especially any exposure
that puts adult entertainers in a positive light.
For years, the AVN Awards have provided that kind of spotlight, particularly since the
show has aired on Showtime. The Sex Awards seeks to expand that stage for adult stars.
And by opening the voting process up to consumers, stars can capitalize on their relation-
ships with fans and muster support on social networks. Rather than a narrow competition
with just a few pre-selected stars to choose from, this awards process will throw open the
doors to a long list of active performers, and also allow fans to add write-ins.
It’s still months away before the winners are revealed on September 25 at a gala event
in Hollywood. But the race begins now, with nominations accepted until June 3. The site
will go live this month, followed by voting throughout the summer. Any performer with
an energized fan base has a shot here—not only at winning an award, but also at
garnering valuable national mainstream exposure. Ready, set … tweet!
||
Exxxotica South Florida
May 31-June 2
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
ExxxoticaExpo.com
Exxxotica tries out a new locale.
EDITOR’S DESK
ad:tech Singapore
June 13-14
Singapore
Ad-Tech.sg
Digital media event for marketing
and tech professionals.
June Datebook
The ETO Show
June 23-24
Birmingham, United Kingdom
ETOshow.com
A trade-only event for the adult
industry, ETO draws about 80
exhibitors and provides free
admission to qualified buyers. In
addition, ETO sponsors an annual
awards show.
18 | AVN.com | 6.13