2010 has been a year full of lawsuits for copyright infringement and going after file sharers with "pre-settlement" letters. As we have reported earlier on this website: many of this attempts to shut down filesharing platforms have failed, and going after individual file sharers is too costly.

Many people in the entertainment sector realize it is time for a different approach to save the business from looting pirates. Interestingly, it is a company from the adult section to announce a completely new strategy: instead of beating up filesharers, let’s listen to what they have to say.

Despite their shady reputation, companies in the porn business are actually among the most innovative players in the entertainment field. From the early days of the internet they are involved in distributing their products online. They were also the first business to be confronted with the adverse effects of illegal file sharing and downloading.

As frontrunners, the producers of X-rated content have engaged in many lawsuits on copyright infringement and file sharing and most legal tactics have been used in this battle by now, with mixed results. It is therefore no surprise that alternatives for a legal battle against piracy are also developed in the adult business. Pink Visual, for example, is an adult-film studio that doesn't think litigation will stop piracy. The company is focused on making legal purchases so convenient that illegal file sharing will become less attractive.

The company’s spokesperson, Quentin Boyer, explains how Pink Visual try to engage with their online followers and see if the company can adapt to the market, rather than fight its potential customers. “What do I have to gain by accusing this huge group of people? We actively began to engage user communities. For sure, there are content pirates among them too, but there are a lot of fans too and a lot of potential customers. We started asking them 'What would make you more likely to purchase?' 'What do you like and what do you dislike?'” Pink Visual discovered that online customers want access and convenience. They also identified a great need to differentiate themselves as they are competing with hundreds of adult-content producers. “I give them better technology, better user experience, and better price point.” Mr. Boyer said.

“I don't want to paint all [the online users] with the same brush.” According to Mr. Boyer, that is the mistake that people in both X-rated and mainstream entertainment have made. “I certainly understand the frustration that rights holders feel. We experience the same, but at some point you have to be pragmatic and say, ‘OK, piracy is happening. Now what?’. Can you make your marketing more effective and identify the people who are willing to purchase from the online population and get them to buy what you're selling?”

PinkVision tries to do that by starting a dialogue with their former enemies. Nice to see the creative force of the entertainment business respond to a market that involves file sharing.

Sources: Cnet, Techdirt