The Life of the Party
Despite the rise in porn party events in the Los Angeles area, porn parties are really nothing new. It’s a great way to make sure hundreds or even thousands of people see your product and brand in a positive light. Lasting impressions are made in one night that can help insure your success down the road.Yet some of the most noteworthy porn parties are PR disasters. Before we hung out our shingle for Black and Blue Media in 2005, we had fresh in our mind the Pure Play Media disaster during AEE, causing their publicist at the time to get the axe. Further back, many can be reminded of the out of control Ghost Bar/Jill Kelly Party at the Palms in Vegas and the hell they went through as the guest list went out of control and spilled out into mainstream Vegas nightlife. Back on the home front of porn valley, we’ve watched some incredible successes and nefarious failures as well. So how do you keep from having your porn party turn into an industry history nightmare?
Step 1: What is your party’s objective? Are you heralding the press and champions of industry? If you are, then you want a private affair, with as little public notice as possible. Are you looking to increase the media spotlight and get your brand out to as many actual human beings? Consider sponsoring a party or event by attaching your name to something cool lots of people are going to. Is your client headlining a porn party? That’s a great opportunity, but the promoter may not honor your client’s guest list or press list.
The problems experienced by Pure Play Media and Jill Kelly Productions are an application of the right objective at the wrong event. Many think that by luring the industry elite to a trendy nightclub, they’ll make a big impression. The problem is, unless you have a private party booked, it’s the wrong impression. When discussing private, industry intensive events, look to book a private venue such as a restaurant, or hotel. In Vegas, we actually suggest skipping trendy clubs and simply have an industry cocktail party in a nicely catered seminar room or hotel suite. In Los Angeles, there are an abundance of knockout hotels that will accommodate a perfect private party. The Sportsman’s lodge, with fine dining, elegant swans and koi pond, make a peaceful place to relax, and discuss business. Industry-only parties with major figures should have inexpensive or free parking. One of the greatest insults is to slap an industry mogul with a double-digit charge for valet or self-parking.
If you’re aiming for business, keep the volume down! Number one complaint from my peers and myself is regardless of the club, we find ourselves talking shop outside in the smoking area. It’s the only place we can hear ourselves think as the DJ drowns out any normal conversation. A common morning after ailment is the scratchy “I was at a porn party” laryngitis. If you absolutely must have music, opt for a quiet tasteful band, subtle background music, or a large “quiet zone” at the party where people can talk business without shouting.
For consumer-based parties, sponsorships are an excellent source of press and branding for as little as free product or club promotion to prices into the thousands. Done well, you don’t even necessarily need to be there or even be in the same state as your party. Your edge comes from sending out press releases regarding the event, and making sure everyone leaving has your company’s product in their mind or literally in their hand. When I pitched the Bizarre Bazaar sponsorship to Topco, my specific incentive was “300 people will leave with your logo in their hand.” Topco sponsored two very successful events without any officials setting foot in the building or need for a guest list.
Step 2: Get your money’s worth. An inexpensive victory is much better than a disastrous money pit. Use free sponsorships to gain easy victories, and learn more about using parties to promote. A tasteful, elegant industry cocktail party is easer to remember fondly because deals get made. Getting a free sponsorship for a loud porn party does work out, as long you promote the hell out of it, and get in as much stuff for the fans as possible.
It would have been very easy to turn one’s nose up at Terroake, our SLLAB promotion for The New Neighbors. There were bigger and louder parties that night. For $300 we got 10 times more than the folks who paid for sponsorships at the big porn parties. Everyone left with a free poster, and a complimentary shot glass thanks to our co-sponsor AdultNewsMedia.com. Many of our friends in the press showed up to our event just to check it out and talk shop outside in the smoking area while porn fans inside had a blast.
You can always do more successful parties on the cheap. You can’t afford to have repeated expensive follies.
Many porn parties will offer free or cheap sponsorship in exchange for free product and promotional swag. If you have a good working relationship with the promoter, you should be able to just send them stuff and be able to trust that the free samples were handed out to fans or highlighted to excite the crowd. One of the first parties we sponsored was for our friends at Paddles Radio at the Paddles Dungeon in New York. The event was broadcast live, and giveaways were done through the night. This cost a mere 30 copies of product and shipping. We did phone-in interviews with Aradia and Skye Blue to promote the event. Success and branding were achieved without even setting foot in the club.
However, I will admit, ninety nine percent of success is being there. When our client, Platinum Blue, sponsored parties through Louis DePaz, I would often arrive very early, insuring no hassles with security, and being able to place posters strategically through the event. DVD covers were left on the cocktail tables. I even would flyer the stalls of the men’s room. One night, I asked about having Airgazmic run on screen in the VIP room during the party. The club did one better and ran the movie on all their flat panel screens across the bar. “I have got to get this movie!” was something I heard a lot. By being there, you represent your company to fans and more important, make sure the free product you bring ends up in their hands, not the trunk of a promoter’s car.
Step 3: Learn as much of the rules as possible. What is the camera policy? Can you shoot video? Are your porn stars old enough to enter the bar? By law, nudity in any California bar can loose a bar their liquor license, including handing out free porn. It’s fun to be able to get away with things if the venue normally takes these risks, but you need to know that in advance.
With one Hollywood venue we have to watch camera policies closely. Camera passes were limited, we lost the media wall, and recently all video cameras were banned at the location. We were told of the video ban right when the doors opened. I had phone numbers on my press list and gave advanced warning to our press. They walked in prepared and as our guests still had an awesome time.
Step 4: Honor your guest list and press list. I cannot stress this enough. If you know your guest list and press will not make it through the nightclub’s men in black without being charged at the door or made to wait in line, simply tell those asking there is no list. The reason I stopped sponsoring typical porn parties is some of these guys even make the sponsor wait in line and pay.
Make sure everyone on your list has your cell phone number in case they get lost or stuck at the door. I watched in horror one night, as spaghetti-thin babes kept walking in without a glance, while two, full figured women were stopped in a boiling altercation with the club promoter who refused to let them in. I stepped in and found out they were from Tri-Plex, one of Platinum Blue’s favorite distributors. We let them in, but the promoter still protested, “We just can’t let everyone in for free.”
If the promoter pushes it, pay for a guest to get in out of pocket. You can always take a small hit to the pocketbook to get someone in on your dime, loosing a priceless business friendship costs more money in the end.
The guest list and press list is even more important for private functions. Your publicist’s job isn’t to hobnob inside and push for getting additional side work as a director. The job is to make sure the relationship with the reporters are secure and growing. In the case of industry parties, it’s also about keeping a positive image with company peers. When Sherry and I worked a large private Christmas party last year, we went inside only long enough to make sure the few press the company invited were happy and to see if we could make a couple of introductions. Most of our time was spent outside holding wristbands keeping a lookout for invited industry guests.
Announce in advance a deadline for reservations on the guest list, and the press, and have a last call the day before the deadline. This helps eliminate last minute excuses. You’ll have more time to make sure things drop right into place.
How much does all this pay off? Ask JT of the BDSM giant JT’s Stockroom. In 2007, he sponsored an event for West Coast Fetish Ball, a client we were working closely with. I sent out three press releases, included additional promotion through BDSM web communities, and invited press who left the club astounded and enthusiastic. The ball ran advertising in local magazines and even radio spots. Once there, JT sat with us outside as we worked the press list, getting him an additional boost and quotes for the news. We passed on a couple of phone numbers to JT for mainstream press. With tenacity resembling that of the late Bill Grahm, he stayed outside with us to the end, handing out free catalogs and drawing personal thanks from over a thousand people who will be loyal to his brand for years to come. Everyone had a great time. They left with smiles and great things to say about both the event and Stockroom and Syren Latex.
Done correctly and with great enthusiasm, a porn party is a great way to gain love for your company and keep good buzz going long down the road.