BURBANK, Calif. — Day one of the ANME Show in Burbank, Calif., kicked off yesterday featuring leading manufacturers showcasing their latest pleasure product innovations at the winter edition of the ANME Show in Burbank, Calif.
On Friday evening ANME began its festivities with a welcome reception sponsored by Sexual Health magazine that drew hundreds of the two-day trade show's exhibitors and attendees. Early Saturday morning, the ANME show floor featuring about 100 vendors was bustling with attendees from around the world.
Doc Johnson unveiled new additions to several of its existing collections. According to Doc Johnson Marketing Coordinator Erica Braverman, the new products are refined based on customer feedback.
Among Doc Johnson’s new releases was the iVibe Select line that features silicone USB rechargeable vibes with functions such as heating, thrusting and a G-spot toy with a come hither motion. “We are finding that affordable luxury toys are doing very well,” Braverman said.
In addition to debuting individual new masturbators for men, Doc Johnson has added a variety of double-sided sleeves, as well as the Gang Bang, which offers eight styles packaged together in a box. “It looks like a Happy Meal,” Braverman said.
A large portion of Doc Johnson’s booth was used to display the Kink by Doc Johnson range, which features a selection of anal toys, cock cages and a personal care line. “We wanted to create a bedroom scene to showcase the waterproof sheet — which is available both as a fitted and unfitted sheet,” Braverman said.
Pipedream showcased new additions to its popular range of King Cock dildos, which won a 2017 XBIZ Award for Sex Toy of the Year: Non-Powered. According to Diamond Products’ Molly Murphy, the company makes more than 10,000 units per day to keep up with the demand.
According to Murphy, the company focused on innovation for its PDX line. “We’re addressing the needs of male consumers with products with a premium look and functions.”
Among the functions offered are suction and rotating masturbators made out of Fanta Flesh realistic material. The PDX line features 21 items. Pipedream also introduced new Dilio designs in purple.
Jopen presented selection of luxury vibes, including the Calle, which was recently voted “Most Stylish” by Cosmopolitan magazine. CalExotics’ Nichole Grossman said the publicity boosted its sales so much that Callie sold out within a day.
Grossman also discussed CalExotics’ new efforts to combat counterfeits, including branding each product with the company’s logo. CalExotics also has revamped its website to require log in. According to Grossman, the company’s approval process has already helped the company deter illegal sellers.
Among CalExotics’ new releases are the Red Hot line of fire-themed vibes, and the Kroma vibes, which feature a retail-friendly $13.99 price and a discreet shape. “It’s a great impulse buy item,” Grossman said.
Another affordable addition to CalExotics’ offerings is the Cheap Thrills masturbator sleeves that retail for $13.99 and feature the characters of the Farm Girl, the Showgirl and the Harlot.
CalExotics also showcased its range of Dr. Laura Berman products, now featuring packaging that has been updated with her bio to give consumers more information about the sexual health professional.
CalExotics’ popular Inspire line also has added new products, including the Curve massager and a new set of vibrating dialators. The company’s popular touch-sensitive Luxe line now features a rabbit design with a clit that will match the vibration activated through the shaft.
Topco promoted its selection of cosmetics, as well as the company’s private labeling capabilities. Topco recently announced that construction is underway on a state-of-the-art 7,000-square-foot U.S.-based laboratory facility with FDA 510(k) certification.
Through Topco’s private label program, anyone can bring their brand or idea to Topco, pick packaging and a preferred “look,” approve the product’s mockups and specs for production and “sit back and let Topco handle the rest.”
Topco has been a go-to source for private labeling for several top brands for two decades. Topco COO Autumn O’Bryan told XBIZ in a recent interview, “Because of our expertise and history in this side of the business, we are one of the first to learn of updates or changes made to existing regulations — if FDA bars use of an ingredient or re-regulates a formulation, Topco knows before anyone else and can make the necessary changes to customers’ accounts and product lines to reduce risk of profit loss or unnecessary delays.”
Nasstoys showcased its new O-Zone Collection that features six rechargeable silicone vibrators, including the Ozone Orgasmic Bunny, the Ozone Orgasmic Tongue, the Ozone Orgasmic Cock Ring Bunny, the Ozone Orgasmic Dolphin, the Ozone Orgasmic Bullet and the Ozone Pleasure Bullet.
Each item in the range features 10 functions of vibration and comes with a wired controller, which also is equipped with USB-rechargeability. The Ozone collection features toys made from phthalates-free ABS. Nasstoys also exhibited new addition to its Ravishing and Surenda collections and two Lovers Kits.
Jimmyjane showcased its full range of luxurious pleasure products alongside the growing collection of Sir Richard’s products.
According to Jimmyjane’s Molly Murphy, the response to the Ascend line as a mid-tier range has been extremely positive. The brand has received a push from mainstream recently. In a 2016 year-in-review article for Cosmopolitan.com, the mainstream women’s publication described Jimmyjane’s Ascend 1 vibrator as one of 2016’s top sex toys, saying that it “packs a punch.” And in the January issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine, the Ascend 4 was chosen as Cosmopolitan’s Sex Toy of the Month.
Sir Richard’s showcased its range of Slick Dick personal care products as well as its line of premium silicone toys for men. The company also introduced its Command collection of premium restraints that are made of high-density nylon and stainless steel.
Xgen Products unveiled the Frederick’s of Hollywood line of pleasure products. For the first-time ever, famed retailer Frederick’s of Hollywood has added its own line of sex toys and Xgen Products has the exclusive worldwide rights and distribution. There are nine items for the initial launch, including rings, vibes and couples sets. All nine items are rechargeable and come with a one-year warranty.
“Most people know the Frederick’s of Hollywood brand as the naughtier version of Victoria’s Secret,” Xgen Products President Andy Green said. “The feedback has been great.”
Each Frederick’s of Hollywood item comes in a giftable package, with its own gift-wrap, tissue paper, and stylish carrying bag, which has an opening to allow for discreet charging. The line of toys has shop-in-shop capabilities with wall and floor coverings, and a complete line of merchandising tools like displays, shelves, testers, signage and more.
Kheper Games introduced new creative erotic, party and bridal games, including the Sex Fortunes set of erotic tarot cards and the Acts of Insanity card game, which is a mix of Cards Against Humanity and charades, said Cathy Ziegler, Kheper Games VP of sales. “It’s great for playing at parties with friends who like to curse,” she said.
Kheper also unveiled a “classy” alternative to bachelorette party veils that is decorated with shimmery confetti shaped like diamond rings rather than penises. Other bridal-inspired new additions from Kheper Games included sashes that said “Bride to Be … Drunk” for the bachelorettes and “Get Me Drunk” for bachelors.
The Screaming O debuted its new Charged collection, which is the brand’s first venture into rechargeables. Charged is a line of colorful massagers and rings that feature powerful rumbling vibration. The new collection’s capstone product is Charged Positive, a larger bullet-shaped massager that features the most powerful motor ever made by Screaming O.
According to Screaming O Marketing Manager Gideon Perez another highlight of the Charged line is that it features a lithium polymer battery that’s safer and prevents it from overheating. Additionally the Charged line is available at retail-friendly prices with the rechargeable Vooom bullet priced at $39.95 and the Charged Positive priced at $59.95.
Other retail-friendly new releases from Screaming O include the Jackit masturbation sleeve, which retails for $9. Packaged in foil packets, Perez said the sleeves are sure to sell with ease as customers can squeeze the packet and “feel how ‘squigy’ it is,” he said.
Maia Toys brought along a new sales rep, Bre Rhynes. A 22-year-old from Houston, Rhynes says that while she formerly worked for SLS Specialty, she still is getting adjusted to the pleasure products industry. “What I really like about Maia Toys is the vibrant colors,” she said, “and we recently made the move to rechargeables, which is a big current trend.”
Blush Novelties introduced a range of new products for men, including Downtown BJ Strokers and new Stay Hard rings. The company also revealed new packaging for its Vibro Plug and Naughty Candy Hearts, which are butt plugs that look like Valentine’s Day candy hearts.
According to Blush Novelties’ Benny Neff, Blush Novelties is now offering sex ed courses and product training hosted by Ducky Doolittle, who recently joined the company as marketing manager.
“We are also introducing ANME attendees to the Guilty Pleasure line, which is exclusively distributed by Blush Novelties in the U.S., and by Tonga in Europe,” Neff said, noting that the line includes fetish clothing made of “datex,” which is a machine washable alternative to latex.
