The adult industry is often cited for its role in the "format wars." For example, the adoption of VHS over Betamax and the eventual victory of Blu-ray over HD-DVD were influenced by the industry's choice of distribution formats. More recently, the industry has experimented with:

Characters like Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance in Hacks or Kate Winslet’s Mare in Mare of Easttown

The representation of mature sexuality evolved significantly during the 2010s, moving toward a more empowered and polished representation. Ava Addams was part of this cultural shift within the industry.