ABSTRACT
Every January the Adult Video News (AVN) Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) rolls into town and sets up shop at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, transforming it into one of the world’s largest adult playgrounds. An intoxicating mix of big business, public relations, flesh on parade, and celebrity gawking, the AEE is a crowded, bustling scene peppered with images of brightly colored dildos and vibrators, scantily clad porn starlets striking suggestive poses for star struck fans, and elaborate “mega-booths” designed to increase the visibility and brand identity of industry heavy hitters like Hustler, Wicked, and Vivid Video. The 4-day event attracts roughly 300 exhibitors and 30,000 attendees-adult retailers, manufacturers, porn producers, industry talent, fans, public relations experts, and members of the media-all of whom descend on Las Vegas to experience the colorful panorama of an industry that continues to grow, diversify its offerings, and strives to garner mainstream acceptance.
