trends

Pleasure Product Manufacturers Talk Global Branding

Manufacturers of pleasure products can be found in many different countries, from the United States to the Netherlands to Sweden. But whether a company was founded in Stockholm or Hollywood, marketing pleasure products globally can be much more profitable than simply marketing them at home. And with the market for pleasure products continuing to grow and expanding in different parts of the world, having a strong international marketing plan is more important than ever.

Kristen Tribby, director of marketing and education for Fun Factory, stressed that the challenge for pleasure product manufacturers is to strengthen a brand internationally while appealing to the different sexual attitudes found in different countries. “Creating an international brand is directly related to your team and your relationship with your customers in each market,” Tribby told XBIZ. “Listening to each of these channels, having a process for addressing feedback and basing your strategy on the feedback given will be imperative for any global brand. The phrase ‘think global, act local’ is a guiding principle at Fun Factory and is weaved into all of our marketing campaigns. This principle is especially important in the pleasure product industry, as sexuality is both very personal and heavily influenced by cultural norms. A successful strategy will take into account how sexuality is perceived in each market rather than trying to make a one-size-fits-all approach work. It is also extremely important to develop a brand nomenclature that speaks to the global market. Doing global word checks and understanding the selling points of a product for each market will help give the brand universal appeal.”

Doing global word checks and understanding the selling points of a product for each market will help give the brand universal appeal. -Kristen Tribby, Fun Factory

Tribby added that Fun Factory is seeing a lot of variations when it comes to buying patterns in the U.S. compared to buying patterns in European countries. “In Europe, we are seeing a decline in brick and mortar stores,” Tribby observed. “In the U.S., we are seeing a healthy retail environment and strong growth patterns. The U.S. is definitely a leader in the pleasure product industry because of an increasingly sex-positive environment that brick-and-mortar stores are continuing to adopt and expand on. The more retailers that embrace this change and encourage an open dialogue around sex, the healthier the market will continue to be.”

Just as U.S.-based pleasure product manufacturers are aggressively marketing themselves all over Europe, European pleasure product manufacturers are paying close attention to the U.S. One such company is Shots Media, which is headquartered in the Netherlands but now has a U.S. division called Shots America and a factory in Santa Clarita, Calif. Oscar Heijnen, Shots Media’s owner and CEO, told XBIZ: “At this very moment, it is the Americas and specifically, the USA, where we recently opened our brand new offices and warehouse. This is giving us the possibility to handle the sales and distribution of all the Shots products ourselves after taking it back from the previous distributor. It was a very logical step to take as we are introducing now almost 2,000 fresh products to the market which have proven to be bestsellers and market leaders in Europe.”

Heijnen noted that intensifying a company’s marketing campaign in one part of the world doesn’t mean forgetting about another part of the world, and Shots’ aggressive outreach in the U.S. doesn’t make Shots any less mindful of Europe. “Our company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and we can proudly look back on the products we have designed and manufactured during this time,” Heijnen asserted. “All these products will now become available for the American markets, which is exciting for us as well as for all our new customers. Apart from our American company, I am proud to announce that our European company has grown a staggering 45 percent over the first eight months of 2015. I think this makes us the fastest growing company in Europe, and I hope I can make that same statement for our American company at the end of the year. I like to see my sales crew travel and meet up with our distributors in their offices and stores.”

The pjur Group, known for its variety of lubricants and sexual health products, is a prime example of a company with a very global marketing plan. The company’s headquarters are in Wasserbillig, Luxembourg, but its products are manufactured in Germany — and pjur has offices in countries ranging from the U.S. to Australia. Michael Bart, the pjur Group’s marketing manager, explained that having offices in different parts of the world is helping pjur understand the needs of customers in different markets.

Bart told XBIZ, “The challenge is clear: on the one hand, you need to be a strong, consistent brand globally — and on the other hand, you need to adapt your marketing and branding to the customer and cultural demands locally. However, the most important thing is to be always in direct contact and exchange with your customers. At pjur, we have established pjur offices around the world. There is a pjur Group USA, pjur Group Australia, pjur Group Asia, etc. With this, we can guarantee that there is a great direct communication and teamwork with the corresponding retailers in each country as well as with the headquarters in Luxembourg.”

Bart pointed to Asia as an important growth market for pleasure products. “The rapid growth of the Asian market in all branches of industry has boosted the percentage share of the consuming middle class,” Bart observed. “Rising standards of living and prosperity lead to an increasing desire for individualization, self-realization and a high quality of living. This applies in particular to sexuality and partnership — a process that is promoted through the sustained opening and liberalization of society. This is one of the reasons why our products are doing so well in Asia. Next to this, there are also many western markets — e.g. Europe and North America — which are still growing due to social trends and social changes in relation to sexuality. Those are great social developments, and they provide new business opportunities.”

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

profile

Neon Coyotes Sets the Tone for Trendiness With Bespoke Leather Kink Wear

If your kink wear can’t readily make the leap from a dark BDSM dungeon to a sunny, mimosa-fueled brunch, you haven’t yet been initiated into the cult of the Neon Coyotes — fresh, leather kink wear brand transforming restraints into runway-ready art.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Why It's Time for Adult Retail to Embrace AI

In the late 1980s, I was working in the rental car business. My first company didn’t have a single computer. Everything — contracts, inventory, employee records — was done by hand. If you wanted a report, you dug through paper files and crunched numbers on a calculator. It was tedious, but it was all we knew.

Zondre Watson ·
opinion

What Retailers Gain by Partnering With Family-Run Brands

In an age increasingly dominated by corporate consolidation and faceless supply chains, choosing to work with a family-owned and operated business can offer retailers a depth of value that goes far beyond pricing and product margins.

Briana Watkins ·
opinion

How the 'Back Massager' Vibrator Became the World's Most Versatile Sex Toy

Wand vibrators are once again having a pop culture moment. Recently, Harry Styles expanded his lifestyle brand, Pleasing, by introducing a “Pleasing Yourself” double-sided wand vibrator developed in collaboration with sex educator Zoë Ligon.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

Strategic Retail Buying in a Shifting Pleasure Economy

Retail buying has never been a static job, but recent volatility in pricing, caused by shifting tariffs, global import costs and freight variations, has demanded a new level of agility for adult industry buyers and managers. As business expenses rise, so does the pressure to optimize the return on every product.

Rin Musick ·
profile

WIA Profile: Cynthia Wielgosz Elliott

The past year has been a challenging one for the team at premier lubricant manufacturer Sliquid. Late in 2024, company co-founder Dean Elliott passed away after battling cancer, though he managed to flash his wide, signature grin until the very end.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Michigan's Intimate Ideas Offers Playful Retail Setting for Wide Range of Shoppers

Jerry Manis, the regional manager of Intimate Ideas’ Michigan stores, never planned on working in adult retail — but he says it’s turned out to be a surprisingly rewarding gig.

Quinton Bellamie ·
opinion

Kraig McGee Blends Family Values, 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 ·
Show More