LOS ANGELES — Sextech and adult toys dominate news cycles today not just because of exploding sales during COVID, but also the groundbreaking work and innovative products that femme-led and female-founded brands are pushing forward.

Their contributions and influence were the focus of last week’s ANME/XBIZ Women in Sextech virtual panel. The wide-ranging discussion touched on the unique insights women bring to the sextech industry, issues female-led and female-centric pleasure product companies face, the stigma pornography often casts on adult toys, and COVID’s positive impact on sales, amongst other topics.

Panelists included Lora Haddock DiCarlo, founder and CEO of Lora DiCarlo; Johanna Rief, head of global PR, WOW Tech; Savannah Zinkand, director of sales, Dame Products; Autumn O’Bryan, founder and CEO of Global Novelties; Elisa McDermott, Clio/plusOne and Kristen Tribby, head of marketing and education for Fun Factory who moderated.

O’Bryan kicked things off by highlighting and celebrating the decades-long influence women have had in pleasure product development, innovation, branding and marketing. She lists Suki Dunham co-founder of Ohmibod, Susan Montani at the Better Sex Institute, and Susan Colvin at CalExotics as three notable sextech pioneers.

O’Bryan noted that at the beginning of her career most brands and factories were run by men and that there were very few women doing design and product development. Once more women entered the sextech space, their influence started shaping the industry.

“By bringing in insight from a female perspective, we were able to work on ergonomic design, aesthetics, bringing in fashion, updating packaging and messaging for all products,” said O’Bryan.

DiCarlo pointed out that having a diverse and female-led team brings practical insights to product development for both male and female pleasure products. “In some cases, problems were solved by simple solutions that someone with different anatomy wouldn’t be able to identify,” said DiCarlo.

The panelists then discussed the question of whether or not gender influences product design positively or negatively with the group agreeing that there are more benefits than drawbacks.

“I think men can design for women and women can design for men. It’s just a matter of being cohesive, working together, and taking a holistic approach. As a whole, I think that we’re making much better products, but the foundation for that was laid by women these past few decades,” said O’Bryan.

However, launching a gender-specific product is still not easy. After several years, WOW Tech launched their first toy aimed at men, the Arcwave Ion. Rief noted that the company took their time on Arcwave not because they lacked the male insights to develop it, but because they were working towards changing societal views.

“For women, it’s quite common for them to use a sex toy due to different things like media. However, I think that using a sex toy for men is still seen as something you do when you’re desperate,” said Rief. “That’s where education comes in and we’re working on it.”

McDermott agrees that education is key to changing people’s perspectives, which is why her company is funding in-house medical studies to showcase the positive benefits sex toy use has on health.

Their recent study concluded that, after four weeks of sustained product use, participants’ levels of anxiety and depression dropped dramatically. An unpublished report highlights how sex toy use can possibly improve skin radiance and even reduce wrinkles.

“So we’re motivated in getting the message out there that we’re doing something good for women and changing the perception of using these products. And that’s also going to change the perception of sex toy use for men,” said McDermott.

Another challenge adult-oriented companies face is funding. The difficulty raising money, especially with venture capital firms, is amplified when launching a pleasure product for women.

“I think that there’s definitely a lot of interest in fundraising for female body products; however, what VC firms want to see is how ‘advertisable’ your products are and how much of an audience you can reach. And that’s a big hurdle because we’re still not able to advertise like mainstream companies to build a brand that investors want to see,” said Zinkand.

This is precisely why Dame Products turned to crowdfunding during their launch. After the brand’s first try with Kickstarter was rejected due to the site’s then-strict prohibition on adult products, they turned to Indiegogo and successfully raised half a million dollars.

The pornography industry came up as another challenge within the industry with panelists noting that sexual health and wellness products are stamped with the same social stigma porn receives.

“We’ve tried to separate ourselves from porn because sextech is really a product whereas porn is media,” said O’Bryan. “Being grouped with porn makes business more difficult for things like credit card processing and advertising.”

However, brands like WOW Tech and Lora DiCarlo noted that tech developments like interactive pleasure products and the rise of audio porn are creating business opportunities for future growth that shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Currently, we’re exploring partnerships and development opportunities that incorporate porn in a healthy and respectful manner. We believe that there is a holistic approach to sexual wellness practices, and fantasies are a part of that. Which means porn — visual porn and audio porn — are part of that. So I would like to see this grow in a respectful and tastefully done way,” said DiCarlo.

Finally, as the panel drew to a close, the speakers turned to the positive impact the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns had on their businesses.

Rief noted that after sales skyrocketed in 2020, that’s when the mainstream press started paying attention to the industry with coverage across media platforms.

“That helped start a conversation about sexual wellness and sex toys. And it proved that this was the perfect time for consumers to invest in their own sexuality,” said Rief.

An unexpected trend DiCarlo noticed was a boost in male customers looking to purchase products for a significant other and attend the brand’s wellness sessions in order to improve their relationships.

“We often don’t talk enough about the softer side of these guys and their willingness and ability to do what they can to improve their relationships,” said DiCarlo. And, they were for the most part, they were very thoughtful, willing and able to listen, which was refreshing.”

Tribby noticed surprising sales of Fun Factory’s more advanced products during this time period as well. O’Bryan pointed out after stimulus checks first hit the U.S., that stripper poles sold out throughout the country.

Zinkand saw parallels with this crisis and 2008’s financial meltdown saying, “I remember that this industry also experienced a growth in product sales. I don’t want to say we’re recession-proof, but I like to say that we’re crisis proof. When people need something to make themselves feel good, I am glad that we are a tool in their toolbox to provide comfort.”

LOS ANGELES — Hot on the heels of the virtual ANME/XBIZ Show, XBIZ is pleased to announce the winners of last fall’s XBIZ Retreat “Most Valuable Buyer” contest.

As a bonus to incentivize business conducted at the virtual editions of XBIZ Retreat, buyers are entered into a contest to reward the Top 3 most prolific as rated by participating vendors based on several criteria.

In first place, winning $2,500 in prize money is Lovehoney. In second place, winning $1,500 is Australasian Adult Product Distributors (AAPD); and in third place is Imbesharam, winning the $1,000 prize.

In addition to the Top 3 MVB prizes, another incentive offered to all participating buyers was the opportunity to win a $550 gift card by fulfilling their scheduled meeting commitments.

“We have been attending XBIZ for years and have found it a great place to meet new suppliers and catch up with our existing ones,” Lovehoney’s Jo Hall said. “In the current situation, 2020’s show was a fantastic success with a great format which worked well for us all. We look forward to attending the next show, hopefully face-to-face! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. It means so much.”

AAPD’s CEO Linda Zerella embraced XBIZ Retreat’s virtual format as an alternative during the pandemic.

“As we are experiencing crazy times with travel restrictions I found the virtual show to be a great way to catch up with existing suppliers as well as meeting new ones,” Zerella said. “Receiving the perk was an added bonus and the win was unexpected and a nice surprise. Thank you, XBIZ, for putting on the show.”

Imbesharam co-founder Raj Armani was also awed at having received a bonus prize as an MVB on top of the additional incentive reward.

“Yay, I just found out that I won $1,550 for attending XBIZ, making some great deals and new friends,” he said. “Talk about having the cake and eating it, too. This is my sixth year attending XBIZ and the second time I got a splendid ROI. The first time was when we won [an] XBIZ Award in 2015. To the entire team at XBIZ, I would like to express my gratitude and congratulations, for you are truly world-class in the business. The XBIZ Retreat show, though being 100% virtual, delivered a close to real-life experience.

“The team excelled all the way, from preparation, communication to day-of-event timeliness, coordination and tech support,” he added. “The team was on top, there when we needed and made us feel welcome and part of the community. Thank you XBIZ for this award and thank you for having me at your Retreat every year, no matter L.A. or Berlin, you call me, I will be there!”

As XBIZ Retreat partnered up with ANME to host last week’s biggest virtual expo for pleasure products and adult retail, buyers were once again incentivized to maximize their participation in the event with a $200 gift, regardless of their purchase volume. ANME/XBIZ also hosted a Most Valuable Buyer contest, once again awarding $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 prizes, respectively, to the top three winners, which will be announced next week. 

Read coverage of the ANME/XBIZ Show here, and coverage of the last European edition of XBIZ Retreat here.

For more information about participating in the upcoming edition of XBIZ Retreat, contact theretreat@xbiz.com.

LOS ANGELES — Inclusivity awareness goes beyond the limits of gender and race to include as many layers as there are people in the world. Looking how this can be applied in the adult retail industry is what last week’s Retail Inclusivity panel was determined to tackle.

Moderated by Nenna Joiner from adult retail boutique Feelmore510, the panel included Raven Faber, founder and CEO of EngErotics; Josh Ortiz from XR Brands; Andy Duran, education director of the nationwide chain Good Vibrations; and Carly S., from online seller Spectrum Boutique.

Together, they represented almost 50 years in many facets of the pleasure products industry and their own personal stories of bringing diversity into the adult market world.

Carly shared how Spectrum Boutique is amazing to work with because they keep their products gender-neutral and explain how they can be used as opposed to who they are meant for. “Stop gendering your websites,” Carly pleaded at the beginning of the panel. “Many websites are alienating customers when they show what might work for their bodies but limiting their pleasure. Toys are inanimate objects, with no gender or sexuality. The question should be asked “What is this tool for? Function and sensation should be stressed as most toys can be used for anyone.” Carly’s position includes posting products to the website, writing the description and including notes of what she would say if she were in the store with them. “We are education and gender neutral-based, making pleasure accessible for everyone.”

Duran suggested that when working inside a shop, “you see some of the things that other people see as being racially inclusive in your business, both online and in brick-and-mortar. When coming into the shop, look at the packaging, which is super important whether it is based on race as most are white and porn star folks.” He suggested to think, “Is this something I can use or reflects my identity or culture? I don’t see that on the packaging. Also, do you see yourself reflected in the staff and the culture of the staff and in the culture of the company?” Everyone on the panel could relate to those thoughts.

Ortiz proudly stated he is one of the only trans persons on the manufacturing side, so if that’s considered, then the industry is within this context. “We’ve been doing a lot of sex-ed on social media platforms since we’re not on the road and it’s opened more, now that we’re teaching the general public.” He continued, “My goal is to make inclusive sex education, gender-affirming, identity-affirming, sexuality-affirming, basically, sex-ed for anyone who wants it. They tune into my sessions on IG and FB, and we have strived to create a shame-free and judgement-free zone.”

Faber was the most animated when talking about racial inclusion. “As a brown person, what do I see that’s missing? Where do I start? All the times I’ve walked into a retail store and they haven’t seen me: I’m brown, have two kids, and we’re glorifying the white standard of beauty: historically cis-gendered, white, airbrushed, tits aren’t up here anymore, the titties landed where they landed! That’s not marketed as sexy. With EngErotics, our clients are mommas, minorities, disabilities, trans, or maybe born with a deformity. When you walk into a sex shop, they’re not represented because they’re not sexy, whether you’re in a wheelchair, brown, and so on, it doesn’t mean you don’t have needs or don’t want to feel seen.”

Joiner brought up that many company reps travel around the country doing training and visiting stores. She specifically asked Ortiz about starting conversations in different areas of the country in regard to racial inclusivity.

Ortiz responded, “I go around stores first to see how people of color are displayed. Is it in a fetish section, if it’s a trans item, is it in a ‘token’ section? I have found that in more of the southern part of the country, there are a lot more ‘colored’ items in the fetish section, not in the ‘regular’ dildos, with trans items in the fetish section, and not integrated with regular product. I know we can do better, we must do better with packaging, especially. Representation matters! In Portland and in Nenna’s store, in San Francisco, I’m floored. It’s very different because you feel so warm and welcome with gender, colors, etc.” He continued, “In Alabama or Louisiana or Tennessee, you feel like you’re in a gay white store or in a white couples’ boutique. Open up conversation with the store that it’s not just white folks who enjoy pleasure!”

He mentioned that as soon as he’s been able to tackle the topic as a person of color, can tell them, “We love kinky shit, we love experiencing different toys but it’s really disheartening to see a white, thin person thought of as the media standard of beauty. I am not that because I am a male-identifying person but I have hips; I don’t fit into male things.” He feels it is so important for stores to be held accountable and point out, “Hey, your Buck Angel things are in fetish gear and maybe bring it where it belongs in mainstream.”

Duran spoke passionately about when it comes to staffing and management, the stores should be a reflection of the company. “Look around: are there women, POC, marginalized communities represented in the room, making decisions, or part of the hiring process? You may have all the intentions, but without hiring POC, disabled, with skills and abilities or making these spaces, are you really taking these into account? I have had opportunities to climb up the ladder, and that helps to bring people into positions of power. I’m at a place where I can be a dude with a ‘fro talking about sex education and I’m on the panel with people that can influence the word.”

Joiner felt strongly about retail inclusivity. “Racial is one aspect. Body positivity, gender identity, sexual expression, political expression [are others.]” Asking the panelists, she queried, “How do you support expanding your market to infuse politics so people want to know where their dollars are going?”

Carly mentioned how Zoë Ligon is the face of the company. “Allowing the platform to make spaces to post articles about how pleasure is political and let marginalized voices talk about politics and letting them talk about that narrative. Let POC, trans, disabled, speak for themselves.” She continued, “After the murder of George Floyd, black people started to shop and buy in black-owned business. We have a large platform we like to share with folks of color. Everyone has been very welcoming to share other companies that need visibility. We have a list of black-owned businesses and add folks that are creating toys, or anything that will support sexual health. Really, it’s a matter to have them amplify their voices.”

An audience member asked about cultural “macho” issues when men feel like they are going to be replaced by a toy. Others felt it was an example of “hyper masculinity” which is brought on with cultural history.

Ortiz shared, “It’s not necessarily toxic but what you’ve been taught by family. Breach by conversation with the men so they know they’re not being replaced, but it’s enhancement. By normalizing conversation around solo and mutual masturbation, they get to have little say as they watch their partner later. If we can normalize masturbation as an enhancement for us to feel better and if they can see that, it’s enough.”

Joiner asked the panel to share examples of packaging that stands for inclusivity. She immediately mentioned the Cute Little Fuckers line of toys, which are made by artists and “really impacts the design of their toys. They’re queer artists and it’s a toy; it’s an inanimate object, not any one gender. They give examples where the toy can be used, in all different sizes and shadings of bodies. There are pronouns on the side of their packaging — everything on there is a representation that sex is fun, toys are fun, lots of people are fun.”

Carly suggested what a new retail store should do. “Start with all skin tones right off the bat. Offer size-inclusive harnesses, lingerie, etc. for a wide range of budgets, skin tones, sizes and abilities. Think of a range of people and costs and fits.”

Duran stressed that how to talk about who you are as a person bleeds over in your business.

“Companies are testing the waters with COVID, showing humanization of their companies, showing posts after the George Floyd protests,” he said. “I never show my face on the Good Vibrations social media account, even though I am the person that runs this account. But I feel it’s important to start to let your customers see what you are about. Everyone is going to assume that there’s a Jeff Bezos at the end of it and nobody wants to support that.”

Carly feels that sex toys can be healing and life-changing for people and are all about self-care. Her hope for the future is that the standard includes size, budget, skin tone, fantasy color are inclusive. The future is more mindful thinking of the needs of the customer instead of being reactive.

According to Ortiz, the future of adult retail looks like “who you’re looking at right now!

“My role with manufacturing, is that I’m forcing the hand to look at the end consumer,” he said. “If my face is associated with it, I want it accommodating for all skin types. We used to say ‘male bodied and female bodied’ and now we say ‘penis owners and vulva owners.’”

Faber encouraged everyone to leave stereotypes behind.

“Crass, rude, typical, tired of people thinking ‘this must be what it’s like to be with someone trans, Asian, Black, etc.’,” she said. “I’ve been told ‘You’re so well-spoken for a black woman,’ like we’re monolithic. We’re leaving these racist tropes in the past.”

The panel ended on a high note, knowing they each conveyed their experiences, thoughts and demands for a better environment for inclusivity in the adult pleasure products industry. With Joiner as the superlative moderator, she felt that a lot of racial inclusivity rested on “talking to our local officials to influence the outside mindset that comes into our stores. If we can’t get local policies to support trans people, be different on policing, where we put our stores, it won’t matter. Be sure to continue to be your local person for your community and Happy 2021!”

WASHINGTON — Religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE (National Center on Sexual Exploitation, formerly known as Morality in Media) helped file a lawsuit yesterday against Twitter over a third-party user post, based on the Section 230 loophole opened by the passage of FOSTA-SESTA legislation in 2018.

The civil lawsuit for damages was filed under the federal Trafficking Victims’ Protection Reauthorization Act, a law targeting CSAM, but NCOSE makes the argument for Twitter’s liability for a user’s post by invoking FOSTA-SESTA.

The case involves a video compilation uploaded by two Twitter accounts that allegedly contain material that an underage “John Doe” shot for strangers who catfished him through Snapchat claiming to be a girl his age.

The lawsuit makes the claim that “in 2018, in a direct response to online platforms knowingly allowing human trafficking to occur and both promoting and profiting from it, Congress passed a bill known as Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) (collectively, ‘FOSTA/SESTA’).”

The lawsuit also specifically cites the 1996 Communications Decency Act — which attempted to broaden obscenity prosecutions but was struck down by the courts — and stresses that FOSTA-SESTA is “an amendment to CDA 230.”

The suit also extensively quotes FOSTA-SESTA’s justification that Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the internet,” was “never intended to provide legal protection to websites that unlawfully promote and facilitate prostitution and websites that facilitate traffickers in advertising the sale of unlawful sex acts with sex trafficking victims” and “websites that promote and facilitate prostitution have been reckless in allowing the sale of sex trafficking victims and have done nothing to prevent the trafficking of children and victims of force, fraud, and coercion.”

A Deceptive Anti-Porn Lobby

As XBIZ noted in a recent XBIZ World cover story titled “The New War on Porn,” NCOSE is the oldest and most powerful of the lobbies currently attempting to ban all sexual expression online.

The pro-censorship group was founded by clergymen in 1962 and became most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s under the name Morality in Media.

Their mission has not changed throughout its nearly six decades of existence: to have the government classify all sexual expression as pornographic and to establish that the intent behind it is always “prurient,” an imprecise, obscure word that means “appealing to unhealthy sexual interests.”

Morality in Media rebranded itself as the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) in 2015 and hid mentions of their religious background. Their new name seems to have been chosen to borrow legitimacy from the unrelated, but soundalike, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The group runs a yearly conference for anti-porn activists, where they are advised to conceal their faith-based backgrounds, and recommends that activists respond to inquiries about their underlying motivations with an endless repetition of appeals to science and secularism, the “human trafficking” mantra, demonstrably false comparisons of porn to drug addiction and slavery and claims of porn being the ultimate cause of an entirely made-up “public health crisis.”

The lawsuit against Twitter, timed to the inauguration of Kamala Harris as Vice President, makes allegations against the social media platform that mirror the campaign to shut down adult classifieds site Backpage.com.

Vice President Harris championed the anti-Backpage campaign that led to FOSTA-SESTA during her time as California prosecutor and Senator.

A Florida Snapchat Catfish

The lawsuit is filed on behalf of “Jane Doe,” only identified as the Florida-based “parent and legal guardian of Plaintiff John Doe,” a minor in whose name she claims to be acting.

The lawsuit makes several mentions of a 2018 Amnesty International report called “Toxic Twitter, A Toxic Place for Women.”

NCOSE takes aim at Twitter’s moderation policy claiming that “as long as content on Twitter’s platform remains live, Twitter monetizes that content regardless of whether it is contrary to Twitter’s own policies or promotes illegal conduct.”

Twitter, NCOSE claims “thus profits from content on its platform that depicts rape, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse and other illegal activity.”

The lawsuit also claims “Twitter makes it hard for users to report CSAM” (Child Sexual Abuse Material), quoting a Canadian report and a NBC News report titled “Child Sexual Abuse Images and Online Exploitation Surge During Pandemic.”

The mother of the Florida “John Doe” alleges her son, currently 17 years old, “engaged in a dialog with someone he thought was an individual person on the communications application Snapchat” when he was 13-14.

“That person or persons represented to John Doe that they were a 16-year-old female and he believed that person went his school. After conversing, the person or persons (“Traffickers”) interacting with John Doe exchanged nude photos on Snapchat.”

“After he did so,” the suit continues, “the correspondence changed to blackmail. Now the Traffickers wanted more sexually graphic pictures and videos of John Doe, and recruited, enticed, threatened and solicited John Doe by telling him that if he did not provide this material, then the nude pictures of himself that he had already sent would be sent to his parents, coach, pastor and others in his community.”

“Initially John Doe complied with the Traffickers’ demands. He was told to provide videos of himself performing sexual acts. He was also told to include another person in the videos, to which he complied.”

“Because John Doe was (and still is) a minor and the pictures and videos he was threatened and coerced to produce included graphic sexual depictions of himself, including depictions of him engaging in sexual acts with another minor, the pictures and videos constitute CSAM under the law.”

“The Traffickers also attempted to meet with him in person. Fortunately, an in-person meeting never took place.”

“Eventually John Doe resolved to break free from the control of the Traffickers and attempted to block them.”

“The Traffickers messaged John Doe under another account, stating that he had made a big mistake in blocking them.”

“Although afraid, John Doe continued to avoid the Traffickers and eventually the communications ceased.”

“At some point in 2019, a compilation video of multiple CSAM videos sent by John Doe to the Traffickers surfaced on Twitter. This compilation video was published by Twitter handles @StraightBross and @fitmalesblog.”

“On December 25, 2019, Twitter was alerted by a concerned citizen that the user account @StraightBross was posting CSAM. […] Twitter assigned the report claim number 0136403334. It did not take action against the @StraightBross account.”

What then follows is an account of this anonymous “concerned citizen” and John Doe and Jane Doe interacting with Twitter’s moderation team, which NCOSE claims shows liability under the Section 230 loophole opened by FOSTA.

‘Project Blitz’

The lawsuit is the first of a “blitz” of copycat proceedings that religious groups had announced for the first weeks of the Biden-Harris administration.

According to a recent report by The Guardian,” with the Supreme Court now dominated by Trump-appointed conservative justices, elected officials in states across the country are set to introduce bills which would hack away at LGTBQ rights, reproductive rights, challenge the ability of couples to adopt children, and see religion forced into classrooms, according to a report by the American Atheists organization.”

“In recent years Republicans have sought to infuse religion into state politics across the country, many of the bills lifted from model legislation drafted by well-funded Christian lobbying organizations under an effort known as ‘Project Blitz,'” The Guardian added.

NCOSE Lawsuit Against Twitter Invoking FOSTA

MONTREAL — Adult Time is releasing a new anthology film, “Future Darkly: Pandemic,” directed by Bree Mills. The first installment, “Laura’s Delivery,” is out today, and features Scarlit Scandal, the newly crowned XBIZ Awards winner for “Best New Performer.”

“Shot in close collaboration with remote content creators and featuring four stories of sex, loneliness and hope in the these trying times, the offering is Mills’ first full-length film since the release of 2019’s award-winning ‘Teenage Lesbian’ and ‘Perspective,'” said a rep.

“Laura’s Delivery,” according to the rep, “offers a tantalizing view of the frustrated state of human lockdown. Scarlit plays Laura, a depressed wife stuck in quarantine with her infected husband locked away in his room. As the days blur into endless moments of boredom and dread, Laura seeks solace in the strong arms of her handsome delivery man (Jake Adams).”

Mills, who also serves as Adult Time’s CCO, explained that “this film was a total experiment for me on how to evolve the way I approach production, from directing the project from my office using a virtual monitor setup and a skilled skeleton crew, to working directly in collaboration with the actors as co-producers and creators.”

“I am very proud of the end result and hope it serves as a testament to the creative forces within our industry, and as a meditation on the impact of the pandemic on physical relationships,” Mills added.

Mills wanted to “personally thank everyone at Adult Time for supporting the project, and a special thanks to Cherie, Michael, Siouxsie Q, Lola, Lucky, Jake and Scarlit, and our crew for being such amazing collaborators.”

The entire anthology will be available for free on YouTube in a SFW cut. Adult Time subscribers will have access to the full uncensored release of “Future Darkly: Pandemic” on Adult Time.

For more from Adult Time, follow them on Twitter.

LOS ANGELES — Members of the Adult Performance Artists Guild (APAG) Executive Board met today with representatives from Senator Jeff Merkley’s office (D-Ore.) to discuss his support for SISEA (Stop Internet Sexual Exploitation Act).

Senators Merkeley and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) had co-introduced SISEA during last Congress, and there have been suggestions that they intend to re-introduce a version of it during the new Congress.

LOS ANGELES — Years before the coronavirus pandemic forced individuals and companies to change the way they lived and worked, other forces were already shaping the pleasure product and sexual wellness worlds and influencing product design and functionality trends — the topic of last Tuesday’s ANME/XBIZ virtual panel.

Moderated by Megan Swartz of Deja Vu Love Boutique, the discussion brought together Nichole Grossmann, director of marketing for CalExotics; Ian Kulp, sales director for the Americas for Satisfyer; Alexandro Feynerol, sales director for North and Latin America for Svakom; Scott Watkins, VP of sales for Doc Johnson, and Alicia Sinclair, founder and CEO, of COTR, Inc.

Within the first quarter, the panelists identified key, long-running trend areas that brought their brands to a bittersweet high point at the start of 2021: new technologies, interactivity, evolving consumer and social views, a changing retail landscape, creative marketing, and, of course, the challenges presented by COVID-19.

Ian Kulp emphasized the changing face of consumers (younger, more socially engaged) and how their shopping habits and desires naturally push brands towards creating products that are more inclusive, safer, interactive and engaging.

He sees this trend developing even more and bringing together a stronger community over the next several years in stores, online, and within more digital spaces.

“I think that digital intimacy is going to shape product design in the future, given what we’ve gone through,” said Kulp.

Alicia Sinclair pegged the destigmatization of adult toy shopping and the rise of sexual health education at retail locations as trend drivers for innovation and progress.

“The retail spaces, as Ian said, have changed dramatically. They went from being what we referred to as ‘Jack Shacks’ or adult bookstores to couples-friendly boutiques and places that you feel comfortable shopping with a friend or even a family member,” said Sinclair. “They are places you go for fun. That dynamic has shifted especially the past five years where you can take classes and learn about your body in a different way.”

Even with the challenges and uncertainty that rained down on the industry these last 12 months, several brands took advantage of new technologies to roll out innovative products in 2020. CalExotics, for example, unveiled the My Pod, a new vibrator with a charging case and built-in UV sanitizing light.

Nichole Grossmann credits the toy’s success to its ease of use and familiarity, packaging features customers are already used to with the new built-in UV technology.

Because of COVID’s impact, other brands like Doc Johnson made the decision to hold off on new product development and focused on improving their business from the back-end.

“Our innovation came in our manufacturing process, in figuring out ways of how to make products faster and at the same quality that we’re known for,” said Watkins. “It’s been about filling the pipeline and making sure customers have products that can keep their stores and websites stocked. That was the key thing.”

As lockdowns extended across the country, many people turned to sites like OnlyFans for entertainment or as a means of income. This put companies like Svakom in the perfect position to take advantage of this new trend with their line of interactive toys.

With an accompanying Svakom app, OnlyFans viewers can interact with cam models by tipping. The more one tips, the more a toy, like the Phoenix Neo, vibrates. The model can also control hundreds, even thousands, of people at the same time if they also have one of the brand’s toys connected to a session.

“Thinking that you can do all of that with a click of a button on your computer is mind-blowing,” said Svakom’s Alexandro Feynerol. “That’s why we’re so interested in getting more into that area. It’s the future.”

Satisfyer is also expanding into interactivity with their range of toys connected by the brand’s app, Satisfyer Connect.

“What sets us apart with this application is that we focus on the end user, the consumer,” noted Kulp.

The panelists noted that getting these new products and innovations in front of consumers and retailers is another challenge. 

While traditional ad platforms and social media offer mainstream companies a myriad of ways to promote themselves, adult-oriented brands face stricter options or none at all. However, as Watkins, Sinclair and Grossmann pointed out, there is an effective way to get around social media censorship — partnering with influencers and educators.

How effective can it be? Watkins pointed out how Doc Johnson’s partnership with television personality, Brittanya O’Campo (aka “Brittanya187”) and “Love and Hip Hop” stars Karlie Redd and Safaree Samuels helped the company reach over 250 million people on social media.

Those relationships had the added benefit of helping legitimize their products to a wider audience added Watkins. 

“When Karlie Redd talks to a consumer base (3 million strong) that may never have bought one of our products, that’s helping Doc Johnson,” said Scott. “She’s also helping to bring new consumers into shops that we’re partnered with.”

For b-Vibe, Sinclair partnered with sex educator and Spectrum Boutique owner Zoë Ligon to help spread the word about her brand’s products and expand the collection with the brands’ collaborative line of Texture Plugs.

“I just think the way that Zoë has sex-educated to a millennial audience on social media is so unique,” said Sinclair, explaining what drew her to Ligon. “The way she talks about sex, the way she connects with people, and she was a huge brand fan of b-Vibe for a long time.”

Sinclair shared some simple and solid advice for any company looking to partner with an influencer:

• Make sure they have a verified following
• Establish that their messaging is in line with yours. If you like the way they talk about sex and sex toys, then they’re probably a good match
• Work with them to share quality information and knowledge.

“It’s my personal preference that people talk about pleasure products in a way that’s not comedy or humiliating. I want their conversations to be empowering and make viewers, followers or listeners feel good about their bodies,” said Sinclair.

Brands interested in discovering ambassadors for their products can also take advantage of sites like the influencer marketing platform Fohr.co or XBIZ.net to search for candidates.

Finally, the panel discussion focused on COVID and its impact on product design, innovation, people, business and sales.

“We have dealt with a lot. It has not been easy. That being said, [COVID] has helped us as a business from an operational perspective to step our game up. Things that we probably should have adjusted about our business 10 years ago, we finally did. So from that perspective we have taken a step forward as a company and we’re prepared for the future,” said Watkins.

Everyone agreed that the impact of the pandemic and these changing trends are not going away and that everyone needs to adapt to ever-changing technology like virtual reality in the coming years to stay relevant and in business. 

BUDAPEST — European modeling agency Brill Babes has introduced a branded line of lingerie ahead of the Valentine’s Day gifting season.

“The adult agency has started the new year with fresh new energies by expanding their offerings with a brand-new lingerie line,” exclaimed a rep. “They are already known by their wide variety of industry [services] — including models, makeup artists, locations and the fastest bookings in Europe — and are now opening to a new [market] segment.”

The forthcoming line includes two-piece sets in four colors and sizes that range from S to XL.

“The first batch was designed [for] most skin colors and body sizes as we work to be an all-inclusive agency that fits all aesthetics and styles,” noted the rep. “The pinup-inspired photos are worth the attention and highight the feminity of our beautiful models Kiara Lord, Romy Indy, Sharon White and Tiffany Tatum.”

Follow Brill Babes on Twitter for the latest updates.

NEW YORK — The Deviate Network, creators of the XBIZ-nominated DV8 Dare line of interactive erotic games for alternative lifestyles, is now introducing a CBD hybrid tailored for swingers.

“We were curious to learn more about CBD after a vendor approached us to sell it at one of our events,” said a rep. “After extensive research, we were amazed by the benefits and discovered how different strains had attributes which could potentially enhance our lifestyle.”

“As prominent veterans of the alternative lifestyle community, we understand the wants, needs and most importantly, the stress that occasionally comes with the swing lifestyle,” the rep added.

The Deviate Network rep explained they “questioned the members that use cannabis as a way to ease their nerves prior to going on a date or attending a swingers party.”

“One of the complaints they expressed was the issue of being high while attempting to socialize,” the rep continued. “In some cases, the cannabis high would make them regressive rather than social, which could lead to performance anxiety in men and nervousness in the sexes.”

The company invested in Vermont-grown CBD hemp flower in 2019 and added it to their network in late 2020.

“After research and consulting with our Vermont farm, we discovered a hybrid mix of uplifting social strain combined with strains for anxiety and stress relief that has all the benefits without the high,” the rep said, adding that they were “excited about the prospects of our new line of CBD products and the help it will bring to the alternative lifestyle community.”

The Deviate Network’s DV8 Swingers Vibe and other Vermont-grown CBD hemp products are now available for wholesale and retail distribution through their website.