BURBANK, Calif. — Day two of the Adult Novelty Manufacturers' Expo Show brought together international and domestic buyers and exhibitors for another busy day of networking and deal-making at the Marriott Hotel.
Fun Factory USA attended ANME with two new members to its executive team, CEO Joe Curtis and Emilie Rosanvallon, who now handles sales and communication for the company.
“For Joe and I, it’s the first time we’re meeting all of our customers in person,” Rosanvallon said. “Everyone’s made us feel really comfortable and welcome.”
Rosanvallon added that as new additions to the team, she and Curtis are focused on turning the company around to one that excels at communicating and being proactive.
“We’re implementing a lot of new policies and really making it easier for people to work with us,” she said. “It’s been a really great show and I’m really excited to be surrounded by so many sex-positive individuals.”
Among the sex-positive individuals in attendance is female-to-male transgendered performer Buck Angel, who will incorporate the use of Fun Factory’s Big Boy vibrator into the performer’s next movie, Rosanvallon said.
Doc Johnson is banking on the booming Latin market with a new line of the company’s proven bestsellers featuring packaging with Spanish as its primary language.
According to Chad Braverman, Doc Johnson’s director of product development and licensing, like all of the company’s new additions, the launch of Latin Nights was directly based on consumer demand.
Another expanded line by Doc Johnson is its Mood collection, which now features lube and bullet vibes featuring BMS Factory’s Power Bullet technology.
Doc Johnson also dedicated a portion of its booth to education. The introduction of School of Doc featured a wall of pamphlets explaining all of the company’s proprietary materials along with samples. According to Braverman, the information offered by the School of Doc isn’t limited to the company’s products with pamphlets featuring explanations of materials used in sex toys in general.
“It’s obvious that this is the most important show to the industry,” Braverman said. “It brings together the right manufacturers and buyers in a true B2B format.”
Fellow ANME founder and Pipedream Products CEO, Nick Orlandino, echoed Braverman’s sentiment, adding, “this is the biggest show ever — for Pipedream and ANME both. We’re excited for the future.”
Pipedream displayed its new Metal Worx, which has already received a “crazy response,” Orlandino said, as well as an expansion of its Fuck Me Silly collection that now features a Fuck Me Silly Dude male torso and multi-ethnic models.
According to Orlandino, all of the company’s new releases come elaborately detailed to address customer wants before they even voice them. “So you can’t say ‘you should’ve done this or that.’ It’s already included.”
OhMiBod exhibited at ANME for the first time this year, and company founder Suki Dunham said she was pleased with the turnout.
“There’s a great international buyer presence and it’s very well organized,” Dunham said. “It’s our first time at the show. I’d always heard good things about it and now I’m happy to be experiencing it.”
OhMiBod displayed the Freestyle W, “the first rabbit that can dance,” Dunham said about the music-powered, wireless and rechargeable vibe. The company also featured the Club Vibe 2.Oh, which won’t be available until the end of August, at its booth. The USB-rechargeable, wearable vibe comes hidden in a special pouch of an included thong and picks up ambient sounds, including music and the sound of someone’s voice.
Venus Bodycare exhibited at ANME with new additions to its line of bath and body products, including an Aromatic Mist that is set to be released in about three weeks and the prototype of a clitoral gel that will be the start of a new collection, the Romeo J’Adore Juliet line.
During the second half of the ANME Show, the Wet For Her booth bustled with a photo party, as attendees lined up to take silly photos, using props, by a professional photographer.
“It’s only been the second day of the show and already I feel like it’s been wildly successful,” Wet For Her’s Casey O said. “We’ve gotten great exposure for our brand and I can’t wait to see the outcome of all of the connections we’ve made. I’m delighted to be able to call this my job.”
