Erika Icon and her PR firm The Rub has specialized in helping professionals in the Adult Entertainment Industry. Dave Kingsley interviewed Erika and asked her about how she got interested in public relations, what it takes to be successful in PR, and her aspirations for 2013 and beyond.

 

Dave Kingsley: Congratulations! Your clients have scored 10 XBIZ nominations this year. That’s pretty impressive!

Erika Icon: Thank you. My clients also got 10 AVN nominations. I’m extremely proud of all my clients, whether they were nominated or not. They all had a phenomenal year and it definitely shows. Of course, I’m happy to be part of their successes.

 

DK: What separates you from other PR firms in the adult industry?

Erika: The Rub PR is known for making things happen. We’re results-driven and do a lot for our clients. We offer the most services of any adult PR firm out there, and we’re very affordable. We also truly care about our clients and want them to do well.

 

DK: How did you get into the adult industry?

Erika: For six years, I worked in advertising as a copywriter and art director—it was sucking the life out of me, and one day, I decided to quit the ad agency I was working for. A week later, I answered an ad on Craig’s List and started working for WantedList, the Netflix of Porn. I was their buyer, sex advice columnist, helped them start their VOD, organized all the conventions they had booths in and much more. It was a great way to get to meet a lot of people in the industry and how I met my first PR client, Shane’s World, who was a vendor.

 

DK: What interests you about Public Relations?

Erika: I can take all the things I’m good at and do them—art direction, writing, communication and developing relationships, just to name a few. Every day is different, and I get to work with some amazing people.

 

DK: What does it take to be a successful in public relations?

Erika: Hard work is the key. I’m known for being one of the hardest working people in the biz. I work every day—I love my job and enjoy making my clients a success. Having connections is also important. I have a lot of those from working in different facets of the industry—as a freelance writer for XBIZ and AVN, toy reviewer on multiple sites, DVD buyer, and sex advice columnist. This helped me to get to know directors, studio owners, personnel at all the major toy companies, and a ton of people in the biz. These relationships really help my clients.

 

DK: You have a lot of fresh and interesting ideas on The Rub PR blog. On one of the blogs you talk about the importance of Press Releases. What makes a good press release?

Erika: There are some publicists who write a press release every week for every client—they’re just putting out useless information and it gets ignored. I’ve actually seen a firm mocked for doing this. I only send out PR when there’s really news or something people need to know about. A stellar press release will be well written—it should flow well, stay on topic and not be too outrageous or dramatic. Spelling and grammar are also important. I’ve been told I’m one of the very few publicists who can actually write a press release. And one last thing…the PR should be about the client, not the PR company.

 

DK: Getting mainstream work is very important for some porn stars. How do you go about helping them get these gigs?

Erika: I have worked hard to meet and have relationships with directors, producers and companies outside of the adult arena. Girls will only be in the industry for so long and will eventually go on to do mainstream work and/or have their own adult studio or direct. Mainstream is the logical progression for a porn star, and is attainable if a girl can act. The mainstream world is far more accepting of the porn industry than they used to be, which helps.

 

DK: You have worked with many porn stars throughout the years. What have you learned from them?

Erika: They’re all unique individuals and no two are alike—you have to treat them all differently. Some girls are more hands-on, while others aren’t. Some girls like live interviews and others like written ones. I make sure that my blueprint for each client is personalized to meet their needs as a performer, and moreover a person. Not only are their goals different, but also so are their personalities. But when they hire a publicist, the common thing is that they all want to do well and make this a career.

 

DK: Along with porn stars have there been other industry professionals that you have learned from as well?

Erika: I have learned a lot from other industry professionals. However, there’s one person who helped me get into PR and I wouldn’t be here without her, and that’s Megan Stokes. She convinced me to do PR for Shane’s World, even though I was a bit skeptical. If she hadn’t convinced me and given me the chance, I would have been on a different path than I am now.

 

DK: Are there any aspects that fascinate you about the Adult Industry? If so, what are they?

Erika: Before I worked in the industry, I watched a lot of porn. Now that I’m in it, I don’t watch it at all. I don’t have the time, and I also don’t watch movies since I know most of the people in them—it’s kind of creepy. I love the idea of movies and toys and hope that more people will get in touch with their sexuality. A lot of civilians are so rigid and need to let go. Our industry allows people to be free and get to know themselves sexually.

 

DK: What have been some of your favorite projects that you have worked on in 2012?

Erika: I’ve worked with some amazing people this year. This is my second year working with Nikki Delano and she’s gone from being a newcomer to a huge star—it makes me happy to see that and know I was part of that. Another client, Britney Amber, has had an amazing year and has been in over 80 movies. Although she’s been in the industry for a few years, she has really shone this year. Getting her name out there more has definitely helped. I was also excited to be part of the launch of XXXGamerGirls—the site is really revolutionary and I’m excited to help them let the world know about their site.

 

DK: What are some of your goals (as well as The Rub PR) for 2013 and beyond?

Erika: I want to have a bigger office with more employees and win one or two PR awards—I think it’s time for all these things to happen.

 

DK: From a business prospective, what has the adult industry taught you in the last four years?

Erika: It’s taught me to learn to adapt and constantly change your game plan and how I work with clients. We’re much more social media based and also try to do things outside the box that other PR firms aren’t doing.

 

DK: What are some of the pros and cons you have encountered in regards to the Industry?

Erika: I love this industry! We’re not the stereotypical sleazy industry that people think we are. I have met a lot of amazing people, and many of them I know that we’ll be friends forever. Most of the people in the industry are great—I’d say about 85 percent of them. As for cons, I would say having worked with a handful of clients who were mean spirited and/or extremely difficult to work with. The good thing is that business is great, and I have the luxury of picking whom I want to work with and don’t have to put up with that.

 

DK: Do you believe that the Internet has helped or is destroying the adult film industry? If so, can you share some of your thoughts?

Erika: The Internet is good and bad. People want their content delivered to them immediately via VOD and websites. It’s good that the industry can meet that need. The bad thing is the piracy, which really hits the industry as a whole pretty hard—girls work less, because companies make less. Fans need to support their favorite porn stars and buy the content.

 

DK: What has been the importance of social media especially Twitter to your business?

Erika: Social media is extremely important and ever evolving. It’s very important to us that our clients know how to effectively use it, and we educate them on that. Getting more followers and grabbing people’s attention is critical to getting your name out there, and this needs to be from Real followers on Twitter and Facebook “like”. Fake followers aren’t good, and you can get your accounts suspended or permanently deleted. We also monitor the girls’ accounts to make sure they’re not talking about things that could ruin their careers and/or people’s perceptions of them.

 

DK: What is something people don’t know about you?

Erika: I collect Barbie dolls, but only the rare ones like the Tokidoki, sandstone lingerie, pin-up and reproductions of the original Barbies. I also love watching cartoons and used to collect comic books. I guess I’m kind of a geek/nerd.

 

To learn more about Erika and The Rub visit: www.therubpr.com. You can also connect with her via Twitter: @TheRubPR