Sales of sex toys soared this Valentine's Day as an entire industry moves out of the shadows and is recognized as big business. Jimmyjane, the design-centric brand and leading innovator in the pleasure products market, launched their newest vibrator, HELLO TOUCH, in January. The launch continues to break sales records and receive unprecedented coverage in mainstream media. Several factors contributed to the vibrator’s success, including its innovative design, cultural trends such as the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon, the openness of Generation Y consumers, and an overarching cultural shift that’s bringing these formerly-taboo products into mainstream interest.
The success of the launch and the continued boom in sex accessory sales during the Valentine’s Day season reflects the rapidly expanding consumer interest in what is already a multi-billion dollar industry. Jimmyjane launched HELLO TOUCH just in time for Valentine’s Day, resulting in a 91% YOY spike in revenue for the company’s online boutique http://www.jimmyjane.com. Jimmyjane sold more HELLO TOUCH units in the first two weeks of sales than in the first four months of sales of FORM 2 during its 2010 launch (previously the company’s most successful product introduction). Recent business numbers underscore the positive shift in the perception of vibrators and the broader pleasure products category. HELLO TOUCH successfully targets the couples market where many businesses are seeing growing area of interest. Studies show that of the 52% of American women who have tried a vibrator, 78% of them used one with a partner. HELLO TOUCH is ideal for use during foreplay, which 60% of women report as their favorite part of the sexual experience.
The intense consumer interest in HELLO TOUCH can in part be attributed to cultural trends and media coverage. Bloomberg reported in December 2012 that 50 Shades of Grey was driving sex toy sales through the holidays – well after the summer spike it initially generated. This trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down. The HELLO TOUCH launch in January received international coverage that was unprecedented for the vibrator industry. Mainstream media including the Today Show, Men’s Health, GQ, Cosmopolitan, CNBC.com, NY Post, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more featured the product. Gizmodo, the leading tech blog, proclaimed “HELLO TOUCH could be the best sex toy ever invented.”
Recent business numbers underscore the positive shift in the perception of vibrators and the broader pleasure products category. Vibrators are losing their seedy reputation and association with porn, instead receiving recognition as an important accessory to a healthy sex life and part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Generation Y is more open than previous generations to purchasing vibrators and discussing these purchases with their peers.
“The momentum of the HELLO TOUCH launch is unprecedented, and speaks volumes for how far the market, and the conversation surrounding it, has progressed,” notes Jimmyjane Founder and Chief Creative, Ethan Imboden. “We’re approaching the day when buying a vibrator will be as matter-of-fact as picking up a new electric toothbrush. Along the way, we’re seeing the hesitations in the media and society at large melt away, making room for a more informed discourse, a more consumer-centric marketplace, and ultimately, much happier end users.”
Also contributing to the mainstream acceptance of Jimmyjane’s latest vibrator is a general shift in the industry. Companies are following Jimmyjane’s lead, creating approachable, body-safe products that consumers feel comfortable purchasing. In recent years, well-known brands such as Trojan and Durex have entered the vibrator market. During his keynote presentation at an industry conference earlier this year, Imboden noted “it is only a matter of time before other major multinational brand conglomerates look at the industry, and it is too big and too delicious for them to ignore.”
An Overview of the Vibrator Industry in America:
Jimmyjane is committed to designing approachable and effective products that open up the conversation around sexuality. This year marks the tenth anniversary since Imboden, launched the company. Jimmyjane is projecting 2013 to be a pivotal year for the category. With sales on the rise, the brand is focused on bringing “Pleasure to the People” by creating products that meet the same standards of beauty, design, performance and safety as the other products in our lives. After all, if anything should be beautifully designed, it’s the products that engage in our sexuality.
