Tag Archives: The Biz

A Post Dedicated to Our Friend Phin Johnson

Posted on by
Reply

Back in January, our friend Phin Johnson died of COVID and a heart attack. The loss has been felt not only by us but also by many in our industry. Phin was the nicest guy and an uber fan of many of the girls. He went to all the trade shows and was always positive, smiling, and fun.

I met Phin when we worked with ArchAngel over five years ago–he was part of the Freaky Crew that promoted their brand and helped with social media. But Phin stood out, he was always offering to help in any way he could, and we became friends going out to dinner and texting each other. Phin sent us clients like Carmela Clutch and Rachael Cavalli.

I think the thing I will miss the most is his texts saying, “E how’s it going? Everything OK?” Of all the people I have known in the 15+ years I’ve worked in the industry, he was one I knew really cared about the girls, industry, and me. I trusted him completely and even hired him as security for one of our clients during AVN. As I write this, it’s still not real–I feel like he’s still going to text, and I can’t take his contact out of my phone.

If you didn’t know Phin, you really missed out. The Daily Memphian recently published a piece about him and his love of the Memphis Tigers. It’s a small snapshot of a great man who will be missed and definitely not replaced. Check it out at dailymemphian.com/article/19371/calkins-a-tiger-loss-a-tiger-death-and-why-hope-is-the-only-answer

Awards Season Is Coming!

Posted on by
Reply
Photo by Erika Icon/The Rub PR

Awards season is coming, and many adult performers, companies, and studios are looking to get nominations and wins. It’s the perfect time to hire a reputable publicist who will help you stand out and get recognized. It’s even better to have us on your team year-round to help get your name out there and get many opportunities you wouldn’t be able to acquire on your own.

Sure, you could try to do it on your own, but how successful will it be? The process can be intricate. We do all the work for you and work directly with you and your agent and/or manager. We also know what all the awards shows are looking for—too many submissions or things that shouldn’t be submitted can hurt your chances. While we can’t promise you will get nominated and/or win, it definitely will help your chances if we’re behind you. Once you’re nominated, we will develop a plan of action, which includes an award-winning campaign. We have countless clients who have been nominated and/or won at all the top shows. Plus, we have 10+ years of experience at this.

If you’re curious about hiring us, email us at info@therubpr.com or reach out via DM to us on Twitter at @therubpr. We have an incredible roster right now, and just a few spots open.

Everyone Is Getting Canceled?

Posted on by
Reply
Lady Gaga is a great example of using social media correctly.

A recent Yahoo article discussed how more stars are getting in hot water than ever before (aka canceled), in just the past few weeks.

Lana DelRey claimed she was “more unfairly treated than various women of color”.

Dojacat is rumored to have been in “an incel-friendly chatroom and recorded a song with allegedly dog-whistling lyrics”, which led to the trending hashtag of #DOJACATISOVERPARTY.

Ellen DeGeneres paralleled self-isolating in a multi-million dollar mansion to being in prison and has also received flack for treatment of her employees.

And, Jeffree Star named his latest eyeshadow palette “Cremated’ during a pandemic, which was received as “insensitive’ and got unwanted harsh criticism.

Because of the current COVID-19 climate, stars are under even more scrutiny than ever. When life and death come into play, these types of missteps get even more magnified.

A PR expert interviewed for the Yahoo article news.yahoo.com/everyone-getting-canceled-quarantine-why-073133054.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=ma had some very interesting thoughts including:

“Online backlash regarding celebrities’ lavish lifestyles is unwarranted because that’s just the reality of the rich and famous. ‘You’re looking at celebrities! Of course, they’re going to be in a beautiful home. If you can’t handle it, then don’t look at celebrities and don’t listen to them.’

We disagree–there is a time and a place for everything. When many people can’t afford to feed their families or pay their bills, it’s not a time to flaunt your wealth.

Eileen Koch, founder of Los Angeles based EKC PR, advised that celebrities should try their best to stay above the drama because not all of them are “emotionally strong” enough to interact with random social media users. “You’re not dealing on a fair basis. You’re not in a court where it’s controlled.”

Yes, they should try to stay out of the drama and think before posting to social media. It has nothing to do with being emotionally strong.

According to Koch, if a public figure makes a mistake, they should keep their apology to a minimum. “Less is more, if there’s something that you really did and you’re owning up to it, there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I’m sorry.’ But if it’s someone’s negative opinion, then you’re just going to fuel the fire.”

Yes, you should apologize publicly. But, you should also consult your publicist for the best way to attack each situation–there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

We advise our clients about how to use social media when they start with us to avoid these types of blunders. Knowledge and self-control are your allies when using social media. If you would like to know more about our services and how we can help you, check out our site therubpr.com.

The Rub PR Owner Erika Icon Profiled in ASN Extreme Magazine

Posted on by
Reply

Thanks to Michael Ramos, Erika Icon is profiled in the January 2020 issue of ASN Magazine. The exclusive interview also features photos with her current and past clients, as well as at industry events and her off time. Get your copy at www.asnextremelifestyle.com.

Looking to Interview Our Clients?

Posted on by
Reply

We love to see our clients get interviews and press. But, there is a right way and wrong way to do this. We deal with seasoned professionals and newbies in media, but experience doesn’t mean they know the proper way to make interviews happen. Here’s a little guide on how it works.

Check the person that you want to interview’s social media (specifically Twitter and IG) and maybe even their website. If they have a publicist or PR company behind them, it’s more than likely listed. All of our clients have it listed on their Twitter. If they have a PR, contact that person to set it up. Don’t try and set it up with the performer or company directly. All of our clients will tell you everything must go through us.

Once you contact us, we do our best to get back with you ASAP and get the interview scheduled. We also make it easy for you–you don’t have to do the research because we send you info and photos. We even remind our clients the day of the interview, so they don’t miss it. Sometimes things need to be rescheduled due to a performer working or other issue, and we take care of that, too.

All PR firms in adult and mainstream have a very similar process. If you continue to book around them, you get on a “no list.” We have a few people on that. It’s not an easy list to get on. We treat the media with respect. It’s a simple process that benefits everyone.

We also like to give interviews a lot of attention. We push all interviews on our social media accounts, and so do our clients. And, many times we send out press releases for them. This helps interviewers get their name out there, get higher ratings/more listeners (if it’s a podcast), and potentially more interviews with us and other companies.

Want to book a client for your site, show, or publication? Contact us at info@therubpr.com!

Erika Icon’s Hustler Feature Is Out NOW!

Posted on by
Reply
Mistress May I?

Erika Icon’s feature “Mistress May I? A Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Dungeon Visit” profiling Larkin Love and Julie Simone is out NOW. The November issue is on sale at newsstands and adult stores around the country until October 22nd. The online version is available at hustlermagazine.com/magazines/november-2019. Buy a single issue or subscribe to Hustler at hustlernewsstand.com.

What Is a Publicist?

Posted on by
Reply

This is the most asked question, besides what we do. Many people think we’re agents, managers, and/or even directors or studios. Our job is to get our clients’ names out there, or in simpler terms make them famous. This will elevate their image and careers, which can potentially lead to more work, recognition (nominations and awards), and standing out among a sea of other performers, cam models, clip artists, studios, directors or adult-oriented companies. We’re sure you have more questions, so feel free to ask us. Hit us up on email at info@therubpr.com.

Award Season Is Coming

Posted on by
Reply
Are you red carpet ready?

September is the start of awards season. It’s the time of year we submit our clients for AVN and XBIZ nominations. It’s just the beginning of a very busy time for our clients, and of course us. If you’re thinking about PR, now is the time to take the leap and make that commitment to your brand and career. We have a limited amount of spaces left for new clients. Contact us at info@therubpr.com for details.

Damage Control…A Reality in PR

Posted on by
Reply

The adult industry has been part of some pretty awful press for the last year or so for everything from cyber bullying to drugs and beyond. Many times, when someone has bad press, they turn to a publicist or PR firm for help. Sometimes it can help, and other times not so much so.

We had a client who had a bad reputation for being difficult on set (and that’s putting it mildly). We told her to treat everyone on set with respect, no matter what their job was. Then, we suggested a name change and worked with her to come up with a new name. Everything was going well until she went back to her old ways and yelled at the director and his assistant. Then, her agency dropped her, word got around she was back to her old tricks, and then she couldn’t afford PR. She ended up leaving the industry. The lesson here is that if you want to fix your reputation is that you have to want to change and continue with the new behavior.

What about someone who has committed some horrible crimes? The crimes will be always tried in a court of public opinion–everyone has their thoughts. After they go before a court, that’s when everything changes. Based on that verdict, that’s when you will look at damage control. Even if that person is NOT found guilty, it will be hard to change public opinion. Going away for awhile or reinventing themselves might work, but it also might not. It’s all case by case.

We’ve become experts in damage control over the years. If you’ve had some bad press or image issues, we might be able to help. Hit us up at info@therubpr.com.