Do porn stars really need public relations agents to promote their careers? Or would they be wiser to keep their hard-earned cash all to themselves?
It’s an issue PR professionals face daily in the adult industry, a sector where a great set of boobs or a big cock are commonly believed to be the only necessities for achieving success.
To get an informed take on the topic, YNOT.com turned to the experts. Brian Gross is President of BSG PR, and his client list includes Joanna Angel, Allie Haze and Sophie Dee. Erika Icon owns The Rub PR and has porn star clients such as Allison Moore, Brooklyn Chase and Kimber James. Jay Kopita is president of the Delta House Marketing Group. His client list includes Webmaster Central and Video Wonderland.
Roger Pipe is chief executive officer, head writer and marketing director at Pipeline Multimedia and works with adult clients such as Allison Kilgore, Andi Anderson and Sally Sparrow. Alexander Raymond is a publicist with Star Factory PR. He reps Tanya Tate, who actually owns Star Factory PR.
Lainie Speiser (www.mizlainie.com) is a publicist and writer whose adult clients include Belle Knox, Lisa Ann and Mia Isabella. Wendy Williams is a transsexual porn star and producer in her own right. She owns HotWendyPR and serves TS stars such as Amy Daly, Eva Lin and Wendy Summers.
YNOT: Why does a porn star need a PR agent?
Lainie Speiser: A porn star needs a publicist and/or a PR agent because, more than ever, brand recognition hinges on the success of a porn star. A publicist makes sure the porn star’s name is out there whether it’s a radio show, a website, print or appearances.
Alexander Raymond: Short answer? Because people are not going to know how great you are unless they have someone telling them. Long answer: It takes a team to cultivate and sustain a successful career. There are a lot of beautiful and talented people out there, so what makes one stand out from another? Creating awareness.
Brian Gross: If an adult film star is serious about her career and wants to break out in a place where competition is very high, a publicist will be a valuable and important asset for this.
Erika Icon: There are literally hundreds of girls entering the industry every month, so if you’re serious about your career, you need to stand apart from the pack. If you want to go beyond the average lifespan of a porn girl – which is about 6 months – you need to get PR.
Roger Pipe: With the adult entertainment industry changing so rapidly, it is important for a performer or company to stand out. Having a PR professional to help define and shape their image is a vital.
So how do PR pros help porn stars do better in their careers?
Wendy Williams: If a model is looking to brand her name, website or business and doesn’t have the networking or contacts to do so, then a PR agent is perfect to help get the awareness started. I know when I started doing it for fellow TS models, it was a way of helping them learn the things they can do to maximize exposure and a way of capitalizing on their image beyond shoots.
Lainie Speiser: Porn stars are busy doing what they do best, which is to perform and entertain and be sexy. It’s my job to let everybody in the world to know what they are up to. It’s also great for a porn star to have representation so he or she can create an image, whether the image is geek girl, glamour girl, wild girl or sex-education girl. There are so many different people to be, I want to take the essence of what my client is and have that be her identity.
But surely porn stars have succeeded without needing PR agents?
Wendy Williams: Most definitely, but some people don’t have the time to research or reach out for interviews. Or maybe they don’t have the marketing skills I do and just need a little extra help. I guess it depends on the model in question and the extent to which they want to pursue a career.
Roger Pipe: Lots of performers can get known quickly on good looks, word of mouth and great performances. However, if someone is looking to sustain their momentum and establish themselves a power player for an extended period of time, a well-crafted media plan is very helpful.
Lainie Speiser: Absolutely. I’ve met porn stars who have always done their own publicity. The amazing Kelly Shibari is one of those people. She does a crackerjack job doing her social media and marketing herself and her wonderful projects. But even so, it’s a big job, and from time to time I work with her to book radio shows and interviews to support those projects.
Alexander Raymond: Can someone succeed on their own? Sure. But that is an rarity. Why not stack the odds in your favor by hiring someone who is experienced in the field of promotion?
So PR pros help carry the load – and provide useful, bankable expertise?
Alexander Raymond: Yes. Anyone can write a “press release” and send it out. But we have more contacts than that.
As well, look at the quality of a Star Factory PR press release. Look how much “meat on the bone” there is. We have an established technique that has succeeded for nearly a decade. We know what grabs people’s attention and draws them in. We know what angles to use; what media outlets are looking for. That is what we bring to the table.
Lainie Speiser: Another reason a porn star could need a PR agent or publicist is for [the publicist’s] connections. A good publicist is a well-connected one, and so much of PR and publicity is the relationship you have and the relationships you continue to create.
A porn star may be doing fine putting out their own releases and booking their own media, but I get random questions and requests all the time. Do I know anyone at Penthouse magazine? Do I know any good book publishers? Do I know any good mainstream casting agents? I like to think of myself as the go-to person, because chances are I know someone who is of use to you.
In Part Two of YNOT’s porn PR series, we will ask our PR experts what they charge clients – and what the clients get for their hard-earned cash.
