Pleasure Products: Hello Future

Slate.com’s Amanda Hess attended January’s XBIZ 360° Pleasure Products Conference to discover the upcoming trends in sex toy design and mainstream convergence, and spotlights the event’s visionary keynote speaker Jimmyjane founder Ethan Imboden in a recent article.

The article “The Vibrator of the Future Is Already Here” highlights some of the hot topics that arose through-out the day-long slate of panel discussions, including the aesthetics and functions that consumers are most drawn to.

hello touch offers more than three times the power of the most common fingertip vibrators while taking up less than one third the volume.

At the forefront of innovative pleasure product design is Jimmyjane, whose founder and chief creative officer spoke on the “iToy: Hottest Trends in Sex Toy Design and Technology” panel and delivered the conference’s keynote address. In his presentation, Imboden discussed his company’s history creating pleasure products based on futuristic, sci-fi inspired concepts.

According to the article, “In a one-hour slideshow presentation, Imboden unveiled a different view on how the sex industry will change in the next few years: It will be flooded with entrepreneurs with ‘no prior experience in the category,’ who ‘see their outsider’s perspective as an asset,’ and are lush with venture capital. Imboden clicked through to a headshot of himself. He clicked again, and the headshot replicated, filling the screen with more and more photos of his face. ‘It’s the invasion of the Ethans,’ he told the crowd. The future of the sex industry looks like him.”

Hailing from the mainstream product design world, Imboden designed everything from toothbrushes to computers and cellphones, before he founded Jimmyjane. In his keynote, Imboden discussed entering the industry with an intent to produce a high-quality, design-focused pleasure item, being balked at and ultimately taking his brand directly to the mainstream.

“Now, when Imboden unveils new products, the industry listens,” says the Slate article. “When we talk about ‘crossover’ successes in the adult industry, we tend to focus on people like Sasha Grey and James Deen, industry professionals who are so personally successful that they break out of the X-rated world to gain acceptance in the mainstream. But when a mainstream pro like Imboden turns his eye to sex, the entire industry gains a level of respect. Imboden could be designing computers, but instead he’s designing sex toys. That recommends using sex toys as a legitimate pursuit.”

Jimmyjane’s latest release was unveiled at the ANME Founders Show that immediately preceded the XBIZ 360° conference series.

The hello touch is a vibrator that’s worn on the fingers to enhance natural touch. It is the first in the new hello line of Adaptable Vibrators, the company says.

hello touch features a pair of compact Vibration Pods, each enclosed in a supple silicone fingerpad. When worn on the hand, the pods resonate, putting the power of dual motors at the fingertips.

“hello touch is wonderfully intuitive,” said Chief Creative Officer and Founder Ethan Imboden. “You touch naturally but get supernatural results — there’s nothing to learn, and everything to discover.”

According the company, recent studies underscore the logic behind Jimmyjane’s new vibrator design, including a study showing that up to 75 percent of women require clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm. Additionally, 87 percent of women masturbate with their hands, versus much smaller percentages using vibrators, shower heads and other approaches; and 78 percent of women who use a vibrator have used them with their partners.

hello touch offers more than three times the power of the most common fingertip vibrators while taking up less than one third the volume, the company said. It can be used for internal or external stimulation, and can be worn on the index finger and forefinger to stroke and explore, or on the thumb and forefinger to grasp and squeeze. The Vibration Pods can be positioned on the front of the fingers for direct contact, or on the back to expose the fingertips for increased tactile feedback, and midway down the fingers, or both on a single finger.

The hello touch is designed for use by women, men and couples and has a suggested retail price of $65.

“hello touch is truly a vibrator for all,” notes Imboden. “We’ve created it for everyone who likes to touch or be touched.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Why BDSM Furniture and Sex Machines Make an Ideal Match

For BDSM enthusiasts and curious newbies alike, a big part of the fun is discovering and exploring exciting new sensations and scenarios. One way to level up is by combining or layering pleasures you already enjoy, and one surefire way to do that is with BDSM furniture.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
opinion

Tips for Boosting Ecommerce Revenue With Behavioral Insights

At our marketing agency, we focus on using real data to make better decisions for our clients. We believe every action a visitor takes on a website can tell us something important. This helps us shape our strategies and assist our clients in turning casual website visitors into loyal customers.

Lauren Bailey ·
opinion

A Look at the Do's and Don'ts of Gift-With-Purchase Promos

Imagine you’re at a store, deciding between two products with similar packaging, features and pricing. You’re not predisposed toward either brand and you haven’t seen any reviews — but one of them offers, “Free gift with purchase!” Does that win you over?

Vanessa Rose ·
opinion

Tips for Navigating a Completely Remote Job in Sexual Wellness

Anyone working in the sexual wellness and pleasure sector has at some point had to deal with issues like bias against the industry, as well as limited marketing and advertising options.

Bryony Lees ·
trends

Meet the 2024 Class of Up-and-Coming Pleasure Brands to Watch

With each new year that rolls in, new pleasure brands emerge, and 2024 is no exception. Already this year, a slew of new entrants are rapidly gaining traction and recognition via social media, among retailers and distributors — and most importantly, end consumers.

profile

WIA Profile: Sarah Franson

When you do what you love, they say, you’ll never work a day in your life — and when your job involves educating the masses about sex toys, it’s hard not to love what you do.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Popsi Lingerie CEO Sam Golshan Discusses Brand's Growth, Mission

Lingerie: a sexy French word for an alluring little something to spark things up in the bedroom, teasingly wear out to clubs, dress up in to celebrate a special occasion or just wear under everyday clothes to feel excited and desirable.

Kim Airs ·
profile

Honey Play Box's Joreail Armstrong Reflects on Company's Growth

Today, Armstrong serves as business development manager for boutique sex toy brand Honey Play Box, but he began his role there as a one-man marketing department, assisting CEO Shirley Wang with nearly every aspect of launching the brand.

Sofia Barrett-Ibarria ·
opinion

How Awareness Revolutionized Materials Used in Pleasure Products

Today’s manufacturers and consumers are material-savvy, giving rise to pleasure products that are safe to use, beautiful to look at, high-quality and even environmentally responsible.

Eric Lee ·
opinion

How Sex-Ed Lays the Groundwork for Well-Informed Shopping

We often do some research before making purchases, whether by delving into a company’s background, exploring specific products or simply making sure we understand how to use something before we buy it.

Nathan Hammerle ·
Show More