Established in 2009, Sir Richard’s made waves in the condom industry by creating premium, all natural, vegan condoms and removing the harsh chemicals, such as parabens, glycerin, and spermicide that are often found in many common condom brands. In addition to offering a more body-friendly condom for personal pleasure and wellbeing, Sir Richard’s also gained popularity from promoting sexual health and donating to the global communities in need with its “Buy One Give One” policy.
With its socially conscious mission, Sir Richard’s tagline of “doing good never felt better,” is backed by the brand’s charitable efforts through the years, including teaming up with Partners in Health and donating more than 3 million condoms to international communities in need. Their PETA-approved, Vegan-certified all natural, latex condoms can be found in health grocery stores, Whole Foods as well as leading major drugstore chains nationwide.
The new products are staying true to that mission, shaking things up a bit by offering products that address the real needs of men in the bedroom and beyond.
Last summer, Diamond Products made the announcement that it had acquired the renowned brand, and since the the Sir Richard’s brands has expanded its vision to offer a complete line of premium “below the belt” products for men that include from high-quality pleasure products and consumables. The new products build upon the company’s modern, premium approach to men’s sexual health products.
In this exclusive Q&A, Sir Richard’s President Robert Rheaume, a veteran of consumer packaged goods, tells XBIZ about the brand’s new direction and what we can expect in the future.
XBIZ: How has Sir Richard’s progressed since being acquired by Diamond Products?
Robert Rheaume: When the brand was acquired it was purely focused on condoms. Sir Richard’s creates all-natural, premium condoms free of spermicide, parabens, and harsh petrochemicals, which are present in most condoms. People love the product and love the brand and we wanted to build upon that. We wanted to create a line that would expand beyond condoms and cover all areas of sexual health for men. With the new line extension, Sir Richards will be the only men’s brand to focus on three different areas of sexuality: Protection (condoms), Pleasure (Elements and toys), and Maintenance (consumables).
XBIZ: How has the company stayed true to its roots?
Rheaume: One thing people love about Sir Richard’s is the smart branding and modern approach, which you will continue to see in the new products. When Sir Richard’s was built, they wanted to shake up the staid condom industry. The new products are staying true to that mission, shaking things up a bit by offering products that address the real needs of men in the bedroom and beyond. Some of these needs aren’t often spoken about, such as shower lubricants and men’s toys, but we are putting it out there with approachable, witty branding to make these items fun and approachable.
XBIZ: Discuss the brand’s dedication to promoting sexual wellness.
Rheaume: Since the company was founded on their condom model, the backbone of the brand is built on promoting sexual wellness. A lot of the new items we are introducing continue along those lines. We created a premium masturbation sleeve for men, the ELEMENT MS, which applies the same attention and detail to quality and performance that we see in vibrators, to the men’s category. Masturbation is natural, and everyone does it, and by creating these products to make it more enjoyable we are endorsing, as a brand, that one should engage in masturbation and we hope to enhance that experience.
XBIZ: How popular are Sir Richard’s condoms?
Rheaume: The reviews and feedback on the condoms is consistently good. People just love the product. Some of our top sellers are the Ultra Thin and the Pleasure Dots. People are becoming a lot more conscious of the ingredients in the condoms they use, and that applies to the sexual wellness category too.
XBIZ: What inspired the launch of the Element line of male pleasure products?
Rheaume: We wanted to create a complete line or toys for men that use quality materials and attention to design. Our research team did a lot of R&D to see how we could improve on the experiences men have. ELEMENT MS is a masturbation sleeve. ELEMENT PM is a prostate massager and ELEMENT CR is a ring for couples to share. We took our masturbator and made the Flex Wings super supple so that the user can apply desired pressure and there is more of a human element. These details and design tweaks create superior experience overall.
XBIZ: How has the industry responded to Sir Richard’s expansion of the product line? How have consumers responded?
Rheaume: We first showed off the products at ANME in July and the response was incredible. Our customers could not wait to get their hands on the new stuff. When displayed as a whole collection it really tells a story of how a store can build a real retail space for men in store. The products haven’t hit the market yet, but we anticipate the same enthusiasm from consumers.
XBIZ: Any plans for Sir Richard’s female products? How does the collection appeal to male consumers?
Rheaume: Currently Sir Richard’s is focused on creating products that address male needs in the bedroom. By focusing on men’s unique experiences and needs we feel it addresses this target, though a lot of the products could certainly be shared for couples play.
XBIZ: How does Sir Richard’s complement the other brands in Diamond Products’ portfolio?
Rheaume: It definitely fills a void, which we saw, not just in our family of products but also in the industry as a whole. We wanted to offer a premium men’s line which we could continue to build upon, something that consumers will one day recognize as the go-to brand for all things “below-the-belt” for men.
XBIZ: What can we expect from Sir Richard’s this year, or beyond?
Rheaume: We can’t say too much. But we hope to continue to develop products for men that enhance their experiences… whether that’s in the bedroom, the shower or gym bag. Sir Richard’s should represent a man that is adventurous, knowledgeable and cares about his sex life.
