There was a time when male sex toys weren’t nearly as visible as they are now. In the 1970s and 1980s, for example, male sex toys were typically found along West 42nd Street in the old adult stores of Manhattan’s Times Square (the pre-Giuliani edition). But in 2016, sex toys for men are much more prominent and out in the open, whether they are sold on e-commerce websites or in upscale brick-and-mortar adult boutiques — and that includes male sexual enhancement products, which remain an important part of the pleasure products market.
Chad Braverman, COO and chief creative officer for Doc Johnson, noted that male sexual enhancement products are popular in relationships as well as for self-pleasure. “Men are becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea of introducing sexual enhancement products into both their sex lives and solo play,” Braverman told XBIZ. “One sex trend that’s been gaining traction with the male demographic is edging, the process of bringing yourself close to climax but stopping before you ejaculate. Our new Take It to the Edge OptiMALE kit, set to debut in 2016, is an exciting product for this demographic because not only is it a high-value kit, it also doubles as a training tool men can use to last longer in bed and achieve stronger, more powerful orgasms.”
Packaging that is clean, simple and clearly states what the product is and what it does is always more successful. -Justin Ross, Screaming O
Braverman continued, “Many of our male enhancement products are consistently bestsellers, including our Plump Enhancing Cream and our Prolonging and Stay-Erect Delay Creams. In terms of the latest and greatest innovations, we’ve recently developed a rechargeable vibrating cock ring that is specially designed to maintain clitoral contact during penetration, providing continuous pleasure for both partners. The OptiMALE Rechargeable Vibrating C-Ring is set to debut in 2016.”
Ryan Fraga, director of sales and marketing for OxBalls, cited cock rings and ball stretchers as two of the most popular items for improving male sexual health and function. Fraga told XBIZ, “Cock rings help maintain an erection, making you feel more powerful and confident. Ball stretchers can provide a more intense orgasm. Also, cock sheaths like OxBalls’ Muscle, which suctions onto you and stays on even when you’re not fully erect, have also grown tremendously in popularity. These can help make play more creative, but also, can help those suffering ED have an option other than using chemicals like Viagra, pumps or super-tight-fitting cock rings.”
Ari Suss, CEO of XR Brands, noted that enhancement products have been performing well for the company. “Our male-centered Size Matters brand has definitely shown steady sales numbers, especially with our more popular penis pumps, sleeves and enhancers,” Suss told XBIZ. “Our Premium Pumping Kits have continued to see a rise in sales. Due to the popularity in prostate massage, we’ve created a sub-brand of our award-winning Master Series brand called Prostatic Play. This line features many shapes and styles that are ergonomically designed to stimulate and massage the prostate and other erogenous zones in the area.”
Kristen Tribby, director of marketing and education for Fun Factory, told XBIZ, “Although there are exceptions to every type of customer, we’ve found that men tend to shop online for sexual health products more than women. When inside a retail setting, men tend to beeline to the category of toys they are looking for, while women tend to shop around and ask more questions. Because of this, it is a good practice to have straight-forward shelf talkers with educational and fun tips on how to use the products. Additionally, pairing complementary toys next to each gives the consumer options and ideas beyond what they came in for.”
Sabrina Dropkick, public relations and social media manager for Pipedream Products, asserted that the market for male enhancement products remains strong in 2016. Dropkick told XBIZ, “The male category began by targeting the ego for size and performance. So it started with creams, then simple cock rings and pumps. As the demand for these items increased and the interest in pleasure-based toys grew, we began to cater entire brands to the variety of categories of toys that men are looking for instead of scattering them amidst saturated brands. That’s why we now have brands that encompass an entire category, like masturbators within Pipedream Extreme Toyz, love dolls within Pipedream Extreme Dollz, performance-based brands like C-Ringz and X-tensions, and enhancement within Pump Worx.”
Dropkick added that “our Fantasy X-tensions and Fantasy C-Ringz collection of penis enhancers has been an incredible success.”
Justin Ross, president and founder of The Screaming O, advised that when companies are marketing enhancement products for men, it is important to recognize the ways in which male and female buying patterns can differ. Ross told XBIZ, “From conversations with our biggest retail customers, we’ve learned that male shoppers are less likely to spend time browsing, reading packaging and asking questions to sales staff than female shoppers. There’s more of a grab-and-go mentality, and while some shoppers may not always know what they’re looking for before they walk into a store, they’re hoping to find it quickly and easily. That’s where packaging and displays come into play. Packaging that is clean, simple and clearly states what the product is and what it does is always more successful, especially for shoppers who aren’t looking to spend much time standing in a particular aisle or roaming the shelves. And displaying items according to function — i.e. cock rings, male desensitizers, prostate vibrators, etc. — make the shopping experience a lot easier to navigate.”
Ross continued: “But I think the most important thing is to recognize that there is no one kind of male shopper — or any gender shopper, for that matter. And relying on old-school male-centric marketing tactics — big-breasted models, loud and bold fonts, ferocious snakes or tigers, etc. — just doesn’t work. Many men in sexual relationships, especially men who date women, often take their partners shopping along with them and have a lot of say in what does and doesn’t get purchased. So be sure to avoid anything that could potentially offend.”
