Is Porn Going Corporate?
 

WARNING: Porn and Mainstream pop Culture Continues to Blend!

A few months ago I worked for a pretty mainstream ad agency. We were working on a few projects and I was always pushing them to increase the amount of adult industry style influences / marketing. (Check out my site www.leoawards.com - reeks of non-corporate adult influence, wink).

Well that company never renewed my contract but you'll notice that I was right, there is a massive increase in porn-influence in Hollywood...and in mainstream pop culture altogether.

If any of you ever saw the movie KIDS, well, Larry Clark, the director, is at it again (along with his screenwriter Harmony Korine) Check out the new reviews of his movie KEN PARK (Krap Nek backwards)... Although this film wont get nationwide release (NC-17 rarely does) - it will get nationwide media coverage. Hollywood likes that

http://www2.observer.com/observer/pages/story6099.asp

http://larryclarkofficialwebsite.com..._poster_A4.jpg

Pop Culture is on the verge of mimicking everything that the adult industry is doing. For the same reason REAL NETWORKS ( www.real.com ) is offering porn and PLAYBOY has launched a radio station on XM network.

They are going to suck the profits from people in these forums as companies like VIACOM and AOL Time Warner launch their own adult hardcore divisions.

DON'T SELL OUT. The naysayers who predict the death of the industry within 5 years need to work together to represent the experts of the industry and save PORN before it becomes another bland subsidiary of a beverage company.

Your thoughts?!?

Goin?

Ya exactly...... Been to any major convention lately? seems like suit city !:2 cents:

fuck that...I'm going to be there to cash in and sell out...I'm in this business for the money...fuck the porn......

There is a major difference between some punk who makes a million dollars a year, and thinks he's the shit, wearing a suit, and AOL Time Warner owning the adult internet. In one case, you can still make good money, in the other, who knows?

Think about the record industry. How many independent labels still make millions of dollars a year? Not very many. Why? Because the major labels, huge corporations, own the industry.

I'm not saying this is going to happen. I'm just saying you need to keep an open mind about what is possible.

MrPopup,

I think your post is BRILLIANT!

Yes the majors are going to take this "industry" over as well, but there will always be room for the independent thinkers, the punks, who think they can do things better! And Long may they live!!!!! :drinkup

I think all we can do is start giving support to the christians...

The last time I checked, the Porn industry made about twice as much as Hollywood last year, of COURSE it's corporate!

But if you're worried that a Viacom Produced, Pepsi promoted, Reebok sponsored product will squeeze out the little guy, think again.

Given a choice between a watered-down, well lit, high budget "Pop Porn" production (Hey, did I just coin a new catch phrase? 'Pop Porn' damn that's pretty good!) that sells for like $65.00 and a good old fashioned Digital Video Fuck Film for 20 bucks, what do you think is gonna sell faster?

Corporate Porn, just like Corporate Rock, will suck and everyone will know it! Sure it will make it's money from the "New Generation" of Porn seekers, but who gives a flying fuck? Just like Pop Music it will have its market, but the real money will be made by all the underground producers, almost as if history is repeating itself... But those of us that already have a foothold in this industry, we will always make money, no matter how many Disney "Bambi gone bad" flicks are produced...

You are comparing the music industry, or bands, to porn. Then tell me an independent band or label that makes even close to the amount of a band signed to, or label owned by, a major record label?

There are differences between the industries that can't be ignored. Music is talent driven - people buy records because of the specific artists. Porn consumers don't really seem to care that much about who's in the porn, as long as they're hot. There are porn super stars, but if all of the porn superstars dispeared tomorrow, I doubt industry sales would drop at all. If all of the superstar musicians dispeared tomorrow, many people would stop buying records.

This difference should give indie porn producers a better chance than indie record labels, but don't fool yourself into thinking that the big corporations getting into porn wouldn't hurt the rest of us, of course it would.

But here lies a question.

This industry is young. How many people wore suits BEFORE they got into the net porn industry?

How many of you had jobs with dress codes?

I have never worn the uniform. Let my tattoos show. Dye my hair any color I want. Wear shirts with offensive sayings. My previous income was self employment as an artist.

Never, ever conform to their ways.

Forgot to say how much I LOVE this industry. :)

I'd have to agree with you there, I sort of rambled on for a while without really putting too much thought into what I was saying (No shit? Damn 60 minute edit limit), I see the parallel you draw between indie music labels and indie Porn producers and yes, there is a big difference there, and although I don't believe that any of us are in any kind of serious financial jeporady right now, indeed with corporate influence we most certainly could feel the strain, but I think Corporations aren't in too big a hurry to envelope the whole industry just yet, they're probably mostly still in the "Market Analysis" stages, but I could see the day where you could go to HMV (Or whatever record store) and Pick up a copy of "Forrest Gump" AND "Forrest Hump" in the same store...

My question is, how will Corporations market porn to the masses, without special interest groups and lobbyists (You know who they are) stepping in "For the Children"? And should a corporate takeover be imminent, how, if at all could it be regulated on the internet?

porn has -always- been corporate. Don't pretend for a second that Playboy, Penthouse and HUSTLER have been doing it for the love of nude ladies.

its ALWAYS been about money. I don't think anyone in here who is actually worth a dime can say its because they love the smell of nude pixels in the morning, or something.

My point is, wherever there is a large money pie, there will ALWAYS be people there to get their hand into it. Suits, non-suits, whoever.

And since when did the corporate world have a moral standing anyway? Online porn is a perfect example of where they do not, and will not draw a line. Morals and Money do not sit, and never will.

Real Audio / AOL / Time Warner will offer the reasurance and security of ordering from a major / well known company. No circle jerk pop-ups, no fine print under the fine print...none of the tricks that the industry is currently engaging in...these companies operate with traditional business ethics...get the customer..keep the customer. I think most people will find this a refreshing change from the "buyer beware", "squeeze them as much as you can" mentality. If nothing else, they may force the rest of the industry to clean up it's act.

Porn is now the mainstream online

and mainstream is now our Off stream.

Define Corperate? Giant corperations move to slow and they have to deal with to much red tape. we shouldn't worry about them.

I don't think they want to get into porn and piss off there stock holders. And be labled Porn Peddlers.

And if that day ever comes we will have the upper hand in the long run.
Why do you think Mainstream failed online? And I know there are always a few exceptions.

We move to fast for them :2 cents:

Who won the battle between David and Goliath

I think in some ways we might be corporate. We just remodeled our offices to become more corporate and I have done 2 interviews this last week for internet mags.mainstream. They are quite intriqued at the good thing we have going in the porn industry.We are paving the way and mainstream just can't keep up. So what if we are a little corporate, we are about the money. Did I say I love my job too.

Good points all...