Feature Articles

opinion

How to Keep Meta From Derailing Your Social Media Campaign

The heavy hand of Meta can be both unforgiving and unpredictable. Profiles that Meta decides have violated its platforms’ terms may find themselves on the receiving end of punishments — including the dreaded “shadow ban,” which can be damaging for a brand’s social media campaign and strategy.

Scarlett Ward ·
trends

Pleasure Biz Mainstays Reflect on Decades-Long Careers, Share Advice for Up-and-Comers

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That saying definitely holds true in the pleasure industry, where many executives build careers that exceed a quarter century.

profile

WIA Profile: Melissa Fite

Though she works behind the scenes, Melissa Fite has a bird’s-eye view of the pleasure products industry. As the marketing coordinator and junior graphic designer at XR Brands, Fite gets an intriguing overview of the latest consumer trends, plus an exciting sneak peek at XR’s newest sex toys before they hit the shelves.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Distribuciones-BES Spreads Pleasure Brands' Reach Across Mexico

It’s time to brush up on your Spanish, sex toy manufacturers. The Mexican market is thriving, and the country’s distribution and retail businesses are eager to forge new connections with brands from around the world.

Colleen Godin ·
profile

YCosmetics Founder Tess Finkle Talks Messaging Behind 'If I Say Yes' Brand

Over the past few years, sexual wellness brands have gained much prominence in the digital space. YCosmetics, which released its flagship If I Say Yes collection earlier this year, is vying to become the next intimacy and skin care brand to gain a dedicated online following.

Nishka Dhawan ·
opinion

Promoting the Link Between Men's Mental Health, Sexual Wellness for Movember

As Movember rolls around each year, men across the globe grow mustaches to raise awareness of men’s health issues and help men take control of their mental and sexual health.

Ian Kulp ·
opinion

Smart Commerce: How AI can Take Retail Operations to the Next Level

In my last article, I discussed how AI is not just “on the horizon” for small-to-midsize retailers — it’s barreling toward us in a big way. I stressed the critical need for data integration as the foundation for AI to truly optimize retail operations.

Sean Quinn ·
opinion

Tips for Selling E-Stim Toys to First-Timers

Once the sole domain of the BDSM and kink community, electrostimulation has seen an increase in mainstream popularity in recent years. However, e-stim is still a lesser-known type of play with which many novice shoppers are unfamiliar.

Claire Blakeborough ·
opinion

How Sextech Is Helping Pioneer a New Approach to E.D.

Erectile dysfunction is no longer just an issue affecting older men — there has been a significant increase in younger people seeking help for ED, with numbers climbing globally.

Julia Margo ·
opinion

How to Advise Beginners on Shopping 'Animal Play' Toys

One important aspect of sex that often goes overlooked is exercising our imaginations. Letting our minds run wild gives us the chance to try new positions, play with new parts of the body, add toys and accessories, or even create a completely made-up fantasy world where we can pretend to be an entirely different species.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
opinion

Strategies for Navigating Content Restrictions on Social Media

Welcome to the “seggsual” wellness industry, also known as the “s//xual wellness industry” or “s-eggs-ual” wellness industry. Why so many aliases? Because mentioning what we actually do can torpedo our marketing efforts on social media platforms.

Scarlett Ward ·
trends

A Look at the Global Trends Shaping the Pleasure Products Industry

Multiple factors are shaping the pleasure landscape, including technological advancements, innovations in product design and sustainability, the impact of digital marketing and ecommerce, and the varying degrees of openness toward sexual wellness the industry encounters across different territories.

profile

WIA Profile: Kate McGregor

Ask Kate McGregor’s colleagues and co-workers, and they will likely tell you that she was always destined to do great things, wherever she landed — but that they are glad McGregor’s path led her to the colorful world of vibrators and butt plugs.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Electric Novelties Execs Reflect on Company Origins, Mission

When Zach Goode first crossed paths with Electric Novelties over 20 years ago, both he and the company were deeply entrenched in the apparel world. Goode was handling sales for a friend’s novelty T-shirt company, Sik World, while Electric specialized in sexy lingerie and clubwear.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

Sensual Distributors Ltd. Blends Real-Life Love Story, Passion for Pleasure Biz

This local brick-and-mortar is a “mom and mom” operation led by co-owners Alana Thompson and Angini Singh, a lesbian couple who overcame their country’s strict, religious culture to create a sexual wellness boutique that serves their unique community.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

How History Drives Marketing Strategies Today

Thanks to the efforts of activists, sex educators and members of marginalized communities, products like sex toys, lubricants and adult films have become much less stigmatized, and much more visible and accepted in the public sphere today.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

BAFTA Nominations Highlights Importance of Gender-Neutrality

While the Brit Awards have paved the way for gender inclusivity by introducing gender-neutral award categories, it has recently been confirmed that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards will not follow suit.

Scarlett Ward ·
opinion

How to Explain Wax Play to Shoppers

When it comes to candles in the bedroom, most folks think of them as a great way to create a sexy ambiance. For folks who enjoy wax play, however, candles are also a kinky way to heat things up. While it may sound daunting to the uninitiated — because, you know, fire and hot dripping wax — wax play can be a fun and accessible sensation-play option, as well as an excellent intro to BDSM.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
trends

An Inside Look at the Decision-Making Process of Expert Merchandisers

Buyers in the sexual wellness industry bear a weighty responsibility. They must strike the perfect balance between meeting customers’ demonstrated needs with tried-and-true products, and staying on top of the latest trends — and that is only scratching the surface.

profile

WIA Profile: Catherine Corsaro

As director of product training and information for JO parent company CC Wellness, Corsaro oversees all sexual health and product education from the company’s Valencia, California headquarters, including training new reps who may have never touched a bottle of lube until their first day on the job.

Women In Adult ·
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