Earlier this year, the former Intimate Organics underwent an important change: the pleasure products company changed its name to Intimate Earth, rebranding itself with new packaging and designs and going for a more elegant and stylish look. But according to Rebecca Powley, creator of the original Intimate Organics brand, there is one thing about the company that hasn’t changed: its commitment to using natural, wholesome ingredients.
The company favored an all-natural approach when it was founded as Intimate Organics in Berlin in October 2008, and it is still favoring that approach now that it is forging ahead as Intimate Earth in 2016.
We wanted to reach a larger demographic and have a beautiful look that would compel the consumer to pick it up to hold it. -Rebecca Powley, Intimate Earth
Powley noted that designer — and industry vet — Lisa Mazurek has been instrumental in giving Intimate Earth’s packaging a more elegant appearance.
“We wanted to reach a larger demographic and have a beautiful look that would compel the consumer to pick it up to hold it,” Powley explained. “We hired Lisa Mazurek — well known in this industry for her exquisite taste — and she painstakingly paired photographs of earth elements with each product and developed a custom script. Doing this, she created stunning artwork that has stopped people in their tracks when spotted. We were able to do all of this and at the same time, stay true to our roots and offer people a healthy alternative to all the chemically laden products on the market.”
As Intimate Earth, the company has continued to feature a variety of pleasure products, including massage oils, lubricants, sex toy cleaners and glides. And while the look of their products has changed, their ingredients have not.
“The integrity of the people behind the company and the formulas themselves have remained the same,” Powley stressed. “However, our look is much more elegant.”
Because the pleasure products market is so competitive, Powley said, Intimate Earth needed an aesthetically appealing look that would jump out at consumers.
“In this industry,” Powley observed, “brands start to mirror other brands over and over again — and it is important to set yourself apart from everyone else. I think it is fair to say we have done that with Intimate Earth.”
Intimate Earth recently showcased their merchandise at the Adult Novelty Manufacturers Expo (ANME), held in Burbank, Calif. in July. The ANME Founders Show is a leading trade show for the sex toys/pleasure products sector of the adult industry, and Intimate Earth brought along a French videographer to document their activities at ANME.
“We are very fortunate to work with a great videographer: Parisian-born Jerome Jacques, who has the unique talent to make any subject come to life,” Powley asserted. “He was filming each unique response from consumers to the new brand to capture expressions and comments. This will be very helpful to allow retailers to see how we have evolved.”
In the coming months, Powley said, Intimate Earth will continue to strengthen its brand by unveiling new products.
“We have an absolutely breathtaking massage oil collection now that people are extremely excited about,” Powley noted. “We will have a few new products to announce in the next six to 12 months. But in this competitive industry, we keep all of that top secret.”
One of Intimate Earth’s goals for the coming months, according to Powley, is to increase the brand’s international exposure — and to reach it, Intimate Earth has intensified its marketing and promotional efforts around the world. In Europe, for example, Intimate Earth has joined forces with the Netherlands-based Eropartner Distribution, which in May, announced that it was carrying the full line of Intimate Earth products.
Asked to list some of Intimate Earth’s goals for the rest of 2016 and beyond, Powley responded, “To gain stronger ground in Europe, Australia and China and to continue to grow in North America. We have some really great distributors that we work with; so that part is easy. We are in the midst of hiring some new staff to do store trainings, as education is very key with Intimate Earth. We have already met our goals for 2016, and the products have only been out less than six months.”
In the U.S., one company that has given Intimate Earth’s rebrand high praise is the Phoenix-based Entrenue. In June, Entrenue announced that it was officially stocking Intimate Earth’s products — and Entrenue President Joe Casella saluted the line’s new look, saying, “The Intimate Earth rebrand was done with impeccable taste. The new packaging is gorgeous, and its simplified selection evokes a true spa-quality experience. We’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a longstanding relationship with this company, and we’re so pleased with what they’ve done. Intimate Organics was a strong seller for us, and we are confident that the new Intimate Earth will remain a popular name in the body-care category.”
Strong teamwork, according to Powley, has been a vital part of the Intimate Earth rebrand.
“We are a small- to medium-size boutique company, and we are slowly building a strong team,” Powley observed. “Some of us wear many hats, but that is slowly changing, thank goodness. Who is most important? That is very difficult to say. As the saying goes, you are only as strong as your weakest link. I always give it my best effort, and I know the rest of our team does as well.”
With a combination of attractive packaging and healthy ingredients, Powley said, the team at Intimate Earth looks forward to the months that lie ahead.
“We were and still are committed to creating products free from paraben preservatives, diethanolamine, menthol, benzocaine and alum,” Powley declared. “We are and always will be committed to making unique, high-quality products to increase excitement and intimacy between partners. All of the products were and still are vegan-friendly, and never tested on animals. Each ingredient is meticulously tested and reviewed by Intertek, the leading international provider of quality and safety testing. We are dedicated to education. We know that educated consumers make healthier purchasing choices. This has helped us build a large following of satisfied, loyal customers.”
