trends

Execs of 2015: Retail Industry Leaders Reveal Top Branding Strategies

XBIZ Premiere is pleased to present “Execs of 2015: The Year in Review.”

Each of the executives we spoke to below has one thing in common — they are among the finalist nominees for the online industry edition of the 2016 XBIZ Exec Awards.

The core of Pipedream is built on our different brands, and we take our branding very seriously. Pipedream packaging is cohesive, from the shapes of the boxes to the actual artwork. -Cheryl Flangel, Pipedream Products

XBIZ captures the thoughts of these influential and motivational leaders as we sought their take of the year 2015.

The following question about the year in review was asked to those running for the Brand Ambassador Of The Year:

XBIZ: What branding opportunities were the most beneficial to your company this year? How did you take advantage of them?

Conde Aumann
Account Executive, The Screaming O

“A key one is our custom graphics program. We have an industrial printer in-house that we can use to make any kind of custom graphics for our customers, and the best part is, they are completely free. Rather than make up thousands of generic one-size posters or signs that rarely fit well in any given store, we chose to offer up custom graphics to anyone interested. In order to get one, all a customer needs to do is send us a few pictures of where they would like the graphic in their store along with the measurements of that area — and their logo if they would like that included — and our wonderful graphics team will work with them to make a unique sign, banner, etc., that is custom made for their store. They look amazing, and from the feedback, our customers are very happy to have this option. We are excited to do more of this with anyone who is interested.”

Cheryl Flangel
Brand Ambassador, Pipedream Products

“The core of Pipedream is built on our different brands, and we take our branding very seriously. Pipedream packaging is cohesive, from the shapes of the boxes to the actual artwork. We also offer an effective sales tool to all of our customers: the Pipedream Planogrammer, which is available on our website. The Pipedream Planogrammer enables the customer to create customized planograms to fit different wall spaces and needs. It is a robust online tool that empowers store owners and merchandisers to present an organized, inviting, easy-to-sell planogram to their retail customers. Pipedream also has the most extensive collection of promotional materials and branding collateral. Between custom signage and wall skins, the ‘Dream Team’ has been working with our retail partners to help set Pipedream sections and wall displays apart from the competition. The response has been very positive, and we look forward to rolling out more branding tools in 2016.”

Kathryn Hartman
Sales and Marketing Director, Nasstoys

“As marketing director of Nasstoys for the last 28 years, I have learned that diversifying our marketing and branding portfolio is the best use of our resources. My choices are based on careful research of analytical data and consumer trends for the profitable consumer demographics. Alexa ranking and statistics for sites and web domains are valuable information resources for us at Nasstoys and are taken into consideration during product development lockdowns in our war room. Names of items, content and text are dissected and analyzed before being executed, based on careful consideration of the social, economic, physical and psychological impact they will have on the end users’ decision to browse, buy or merely move on. These decisions take into consideration the brick-and- mortar as well as web-driven retailers and wholesalers. Industry trade shows are imperative branding functions for Nasstoys, and we focus on simplicity and impact at our manufacturer and distributor shows.”

Ray Hayes
Commercial Director, Lovehoney

“‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ has been nothing less than phenomenal for what it has done for the fetish market, as everyone has been a winner. Who does not know the name? I am extremely pleased that Lovehoney has the global distribution rights, as it has allowed the trade sales team to support distributors and retailers to really maximize the FSoG brand opportunity and work with them. Some of the events that took place were unseen or unheard of before: i.e, cinema events, FSoG parties, etc. And latterly, the launch of the Motörhead Pleasure Collection wowed people when we launched in July and continues to do so. It is successful brands like this and not ‘me-too’ products that the consumers want.”

Lucy Vonne D’Olimpio Kendrick
Director of Sales and Education, Evolved Novelties

“We are always looking for new and exciting ways to reach people about our brands. I get to represent not only Evolved, but Adam & Eve and Zero Tolerance as well. All are well-known brands, and even though they are different, they complement each other. Truly, my favorite way of helping people get the concept of what our brands are all about is doing store trainings and speaking directly to consumers. Customer service and trust in our brands are so important to us. It gives me great pride when I get to a training with a skeptical group and leave them fully on board and believing in our products. I love all the feedback we get, and it’s great to gain a rapport with who is selling your products. The Evolved-branded gift bags don’t hurt either.”

Nicole McCree
Product Educator and Sales Executive, Classic Erotica

“One of the most important ways to brand in the adult industry is to educate. Teaching our customer sales staff about our products and the best way to sell them gains customer trust and results in enthusiastic sales. My endeavor is to make the product training fun, interactive and most importantly, informative. Each customer training also gains my knowledge of which products will do best in their stores based off of their demographics plus a host of variables and trends I notice at the retail level. This way, I cater their training to expand their potential. I maximize my opportunities to brand while on the road by leaving an upbeat and lasting impression not only for the products, but also, as a representative, assuring a positive company image. With this in mind, I’m not just Nicole McCree, I’m the Coochy Cream Lady, and the Crazy Girl of Classic Erotica in the most endearing way possible.”

Tori Parker
Director of Business Development, Standard Innovation

“Over the past year, we focused much of our energy on creating in-store brand experiences. My team visited over 1,000 stores across the country. We installed graphics to create more brand space, placed hundreds of slat wall demo displays and assisted with setting up our full product line display towers. The results have been outstanding: in many stores, we’ve increased sales by as much as 400 percent.”

Cassie Pendleton
Marketing Director, Wicked Sensual Care Collection

“Here at Wicked, we take the utmost pride in the products we bring to the market. Our formulas are thoughtful and unique. The most important and beneficial branding opportunity we utilize is our product knowledge training seminars. When we’re able to educate retail associates on the innovations we bring to the lubricant category as a whole, we are able to see the direct correlation to our sales. We also love the opportunity to speak directly to the store staff — the ‘front lines’ — and get feedback that is instrumental as we continue to develop the Wicked Sensual Care Collection.”

Emily Silva
Sales Executive, Sportsheets International

“Sportsheets relaunched our brand Manbound this year. What a great opportunity! It has a new look, new products and a new attitude, all of which were well received in the gay community. We worked closely with our distributors, who reached out to their clients, gay-focused or not. It has been very exciting to be a part of the Manbound relaunch. I know this brand will continue to succeed as we expand the line.”

Robin Stewart
Brand Manager, Jopen

“This year, we are super focused on retailers. Retailers are the direct point of contact for consumers, and it is imperative that we support them any way we can. We’ve created CalExotics Institute, a co-branded online educational portal designed to educate retail staff. JOPEN’s dedication to educating employees is an important step in the sales process. The more comfortable someone is in explaining the features and benefits of a product, the more success of closing the sale rises. We are also providing beautiful point-of-purchase material for retailers so they can prominently display our products in eye-catching ways. Lastly, we are providing signage, brochures, flyers and more.”

Copyright © 2024 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

Electric Novelties Execs Reflect on Company Origins, Mission

When Zach Goode first crossed paths with Electric Novelties over 20 years ago, both he and the company were deeply entrenched in the apparel world. Goode was handling sales for a friend’s novelty T-shirt company, Sik World, while Electric specialized in sexy lingerie and clubwear.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

Sensual Distributors Ltd. Blends Real-Life Love Story, Passion for Pleasure Biz

This local brick-and-mortar is a “mom and mom” operation led by co-owners Alana Thompson and Angini Singh, a lesbian couple who overcame their country’s strict, religious culture to create a sexual wellness boutique that serves their unique community.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

How History Drives Marketing Strategies Today

Thanks to the efforts of activists, sex educators and members of marginalized communities, products like sex toys, lubricants and adult films have become much less stigmatized, and much more visible and accepted in the public sphere today.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

BAFTA Nominations Highlights Importance of Gender-Neutrality

While the Brit Awards have paved the way for gender inclusivity by introducing gender-neutral award categories, it has recently been confirmed that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards will not follow suit.

Scarlett Ward ·
opinion

How to Explain Wax Play to Shoppers

When it comes to candles in the bedroom, most folks think of them as a great way to create a sexy ambiance. For folks who enjoy wax play, however, candles are also a kinky way to heat things up. While it may sound daunting to the uninitiated — because, you know, fire and hot dripping wax — wax play can be a fun and accessible sensation-play option, as well as an excellent intro to BDSM.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
trends

An Inside Look at the Decision-Making Process of Expert Merchandisers

Buyers in the sexual wellness industry bear a weighty responsibility. They must strike the perfect balance between meeting customers’ demonstrated needs with tried-and-true products, and staying on top of the latest trends — and that is only scratching the surface.

profile

WIA Profile: Catherine Corsaro

As director of product training and information for JO parent company CC Wellness, Corsaro oversees all sexual health and product education from the company’s Valencia, California headquarters, including training new reps who may have never touched a bottle of lube until their first day on the job.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Novum Veteran Executive Team Leverages Expertise to Grow Brand

Novum Brands may be relatively new on the sex toy scene, but there’s nothing green about George Gatziaris and Vadim Daysudov, who together founded, own and helm the business.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Al and Michele Harrington Discuss Vision for Pleasure Brand Love Verb

Former NBA player Al Harrington has matched his success on the hardwood with equally impressive accomplishments in the business world, including creating cannabis company Viola. Now, Harrington and his wife, Michele, have expanded their business portfolio with Love Verb, a venture aimed at enhancing couples’ intimacy through a variety of pleasure products.

Quinton Bellamie ·
opinion

A Look at the Benefits of AI for Optimizing Retail Operations

In the ever-evolving landscape of retail tech, staying ahead of the curve is not just advantageous — it’s mandatory for survival. Currently, small-to-midsize retailers face an unprecedented opportunity to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) features to gain an advantage, enhance employee productivity and optimize operations.

Sean Quinn ·
Show More