The beginning of the month saw Gallagher Estate in Midrand host the SEXPO - the Health, Sexuality and Lifestyle Expo. The SEXPO presented a range of exhibitors, stage performers and workshop professionals, who provided a comprehensive platform for information, service offerings and trade in South Africa. The interesting point for us is the way in which this event was publicised and marketed in South Africa. A standard press release was sent out on 1 September, announcing the event and quoting several figures from a study conducted ahead of the exhibition. The press release read, “Fifteen per cent of South Africans have a collection of naughty toys to spice up their sex life, according to a survey of 500 South African men and women aged between 20 and 30. The survey, conducted by Expo Works, focused on sexual behaviour and beliefs among adults. It found that 25 per cent of South Africans owned vibrators, 10 per cent owned handcuffs and 20 per cent indicated that while they don't currently own any sex toys they are interested in them”. What else do South Africans like? “The survey found that 80% of women surveyed would love to learn pole or lap dancing. It also found that many South Africans enjoyed exploring sex and the sexual world, with 30% of the women indicating they had had a bi-curious experience, 26% that they have always wanted to try it and 11% that they are bisexual. Thirty-three per cent of all respondents indicated that they had shopped online at an adult store”. So, based on this premise, Marcus Brewster Publicity, who handled the PR for this event, had some good things going for them in terms of public opinion and amenability to the concept. All the relevant information about the event was on the website, www.sexpo.co.za. Everything from the opening hours, to the site plan, to highlights from the overseas event was displayed online. On the website, there was also a link for the “Sex o'clock News” and the “Sex o'clock Weather”, which was a live news read about the SEXPO, with men and women undressing as they progressed through the bulletin. This is very much like the successful concept of Naked News, where 10 women undress for a nude look at news, naked entertainment, sports, business, weather, games, movies etc. Coupled with traditional PR, Expo Works created a Facebook group (called Sexpo Rocks) that now has over 350 members. There was also a smaller group that was used as a call for temporary employment during the expo. To cross promote the event on different platforms, “Sex o'clock News” and the “Sex o'clock Weather” were also played on the Facebook group. As if this wasn't enough, the sexy news bulletin found its way onto www.myvideo.co.za for people to view. This is a very nice example of how new media was used as a component of the campaign, using social networking tools like Facebook and live online news reads with a sex theme to complement the event. It was also interesting to see that some of the exhibitors referenced social networking as a means to make contact with them and others ensured that their marketing material was customised for this event. Several journalists blogged about the event, which was also a way to draw common ground between the articles written that appeared in traditional media and the extension thereof in the blogosphere. In other comment boxes that appear attached to online media tools, people expressed their support as well as their profound disinterest in the event. In any case, whether good or bad, the event generated an extension to its PR by Joe public. It reminds me of something Sharon Stone said years ago, “It doesn't matter what they say about me, as long as they are talking about it” (or something like that!). Staying with online media, Pricasso, the artist who paints with his penis, was picked up 104 times in total in a South African-domain Google search. I think just from the few things we have picked up, the event proved to be a marketing/PR success, with a nice combination of traditional media, new media and social networking tools.