trends

Making an Impact: Smart Packaging and Branding Sells Sex Toys

From erotic videos to professional domination to strip clubs, the adult entertainment industry can be extremely visual. Appearance counts. Aesthetics matter. And that certainly holds true when it comes to sex toys. Packaging, for sex toys, is a vital part of sales and marketing. Effective packaging not only helps to establish a company’s brand, but also, can help a brand grow and prosper.

Andy Green, president and founder of XGEN Products (based in the Philadelphia suburbs), asserted that the packaging of sex toys must do more than acquaint retailers and customers with an individual product — it must also sell them on the brand itself. “Although it sounds like common sense, good package design revolves around understanding how the customer will make their decision,” Green explained. “Sometimes, this is best achieved with photography, sometimes text — and sometimes, with the form of the packaging itself. For branding purposes, consistency across a company’s items is crucial. For example, our Bodywand packaging features a consistent set of design elements that let customers know this is a family of products regardless of which model they are currently considering.”

You can have a fantastic product, but if your packaging doesn’t reflect what’s inside, you’re in trouble. Cheap-looking packaging will put off a discerning customer. -Monique Carty, Nexus

Jeff Swenson, head of design for the Los Angeles-based Screaming O, stressed that with sex toys, effective packaging must convince consumers that a particular product is unique, interesting and creative yet at the same time, educate them about a company’s brand. This is a challenge, Swenson said, but it’s certainly doable.

“Good, effective packaging is a balancing act between consistency and individuality,” Swenson observed. “You always want to follow certain rules to keep all of your products branded within the same family while showcasing the individual features of each. If you start from the top down on most Screaming O products, you’ll find: (1) who makes it, (2) what it’s called, (3) what it can do for you and why you need it, (4) any bonus features — battery type, etc. — and (5) product safety information. Covering these five points provides consumers with everything they need to make an informed purchase while building trust and brand loyalty. Through successful branding and packaging design, consumers can see all the reasons why they should choose The Screaming O over other brands and feel confident that they’re buying fun and affordable sex toys made from body-safe, lab-tested materials.”

Swenson added that with consumers, a sex toy’s packaging can be either a deal-maker or a deal-breaker. “Attractive and informative packaging is crucial to any consumer purchasing a sex toy,” Swenson asserted. “A good portion of customers at your average adult store are newbies looking for their first few products or shoppers who aren’t interested in striking up a conversation with the nearest sales rep. They might even be a little nervous and aren’t exactly sure what they are looking for, which is why The Screaming O makes sure to balance our education with some subtle humor to break the ice. It’s one of the reasons why consumers associate a bright, fun and sex-positive attitude with our brand.”

Monique Carty, director of the U.K.-based Nexus, emphasized that sex toy manufacturers need to take both retailers and consumers into consideration when it comes to packaging and branding. First, Carty said, the packaging must sell retailers on a company’s products — and once the products have made it into the store, the packaging must win over consumers.

“There are a lot of things to consider when packaging your products,” Carty explained. “There’s the aesthetic design — how can you attract your key audience and get across what your brand stands for as well as the product’s unique selling points? Then there’s the functionality for both the consumer and the retail store. You can have a fantastic product, but if your packaging doesn’t reflect what’s inside, you’re in trouble. Cheap-looking packaging will put off a discerning customer. There is also no point in having great features if you don’t present them clearly to the customer on the packaging.”

Carty continued, “If retailers don’t like the way your product sits in their store, they are going to be resistant no matter how amazing the product is. It’s common sense to make it as appealing as possible. All our items have clear packaging or the items pictured clearly on the packaging.”

Carty noted that if a company is marketing high-end sex toys, the packaging must look high-end. “As a high-end brand, we have always tried to reflect the positioning in the packaging,” Carty said of Nexus. “We have updated the design to keep it modern, and we like to include silicone pads so customers can feel the material of the product inside.”

Green stressed that consumers will not have a chance to decide whether or not they want to purchase a company’s sex toys if the packaging does not convince retailers that the products are worth carrying. “First and foremost, all of XGEN’s decisions are based on the needs of retailers,” Green asserted. “Our overriding goal is to provide our customers products that are easy to display and sell. To that end, all our brands’ packaging is either pre-planned to hang in planograms, be placed in a display we’ve provided, or a combination of the two. Bodywand packaging, for example, can be placed on a shelf or hung on pegs. The package sizing and design is set up to fit perfectly in our free-standing display or when cohesively presented on a wall.”

Green added, “Across our brands, we offer everything from slat wall skins to header signs to freestanding, physical displays — each of which has been designed to help retailers succeed.”

Packaging, according to Green, must convince consumers why they need a particular sex toy and why it is worth spending money on. “For our purposes,” Green noted, “a consumer should be thinking about the product and the product only when they see our packaging. But to make that happen takes some serious work. The package needs to draw them in, help them understand the product’s quality and features, and ultimately, persuade them to make a purchase.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 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

Kraig McGee Blends Family Biz Experience, Creative Background at TAF Distributing

Walk into any Adam & Eve store in the Mountain West region of the U.S. and you’ve likely stumbled into a TAF Distributing outfit. Owned by industry veteran Kraig McGee Jr. and staffed by his closest family members, McGee’s 35 TAF-operated stores span 13 states, from woodsy Idaho to scenic Utah and well beyond.

Colleen Godwin ·
opinion

How Pleasure Brands Can Ethically Market to LGBTQ+ Communities

Every June, the rainbow floodgates open. Suddenly, pleasure products are “Pride-themed,” companies change their logos and brands rush to show just how inclusive they are — at least for 30 days. But as a queer, nonbinary marketing strategist who works with adult brands year-round, I’m here to say: Rainbow dildos alone are not progress. They’re often just noise.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

A Retailer's Road Map for First-Timers' Anal August

Anal August offers a prime opportunity for brands and stores to capture new customers and drive growth in a category that’s gaining mainstream momentum. As consumer interest in anal play continues to rise, now is the time to meet first-time buyers where they are, with approachable products, trusted education and a clear path to pleasure.

Matthew Spindler ·
opinion

Optimizing Your Leadership Through Wellness Practices

For many of us, 2025 has proved intensely stressful — and we’re still only halfway through the year. In times like these, it may seem counterintuitive or even irresponsible to talk about seeking pleasure. Yet pleasure, presence, joy and connection can help you return to a mental and physical state that allows you to face and handle stressors.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
opinion

Chastity Play Is Trending: Why It Should Be in Your Marketing Strategy

From chastity fetishes to power play, erotic control — once considered an esoteric niche within the world of BDSM — is now entering the mainstream. Google searches for “chastity cages,” “chastity fetish” and “orgasm denial” have exploded over the past year, with interest especially high for beginner-friendly models.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

A Look at Adult Retail's Role in Community Care

In the adult retail industry, we focus on empowerment, exploration and connection. We connect people with products that can transform their relationships with their bodies, with their partners and with themselves.

Rin Musick ·
trends

A Deep Dive Into Key Trends Shaping Pleasure Products

In 2025, the pleasure industry is evolving in intentional ways. Rather than racing toward newness for novelty’s sake, brands are reassessing everything from shape and function to what price intended shoppers can afford.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

WIA Profile: Jia Jeng

Modern branding is all about storytelling — and Jia Jeng certainly knows how to tell an authentic, perspective-shifting tale. As brand manager for ID Lubricants, Jeng applies her creative talent to shaping the long-established company’s public image in a way that aligns with her own vision for an ethical future.

Women in Adult ·
profile

Spicerack Market Offers Indie Brands a Launching Pad

Spicerack Market is an ecommerce platform with the heart of an artisan crafter and the soul of a kinkster. On the website, independent sex toy makers, lingerie seamstresses and kink gear craftspeople can set up a personalized shop to sell their handmade wares, unhindered by censorship or bans on adult products.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Strategies to Bring Pleasure Brands into the Spotlight

Every brand dreams about landing a feature in The New York Times or Men’s Health — and pleasure brands are no exception. After all, mainstream media coverage isn’t just a vanity milestone. It builds trust, attracts new audiences and opens doors to connecting with retailers, partnerships, and investors.

Hail Groo ·
Show More