SEX INDUSTRY
ANME 2023: Sex Toy Experts Share What Pleasure Means to Them
Published: JANUARY 26, 2023
Thanks to industry leaders like those we interviewed at ANME 2023, rest assured your sex life is in the hands of those who operate with dedication, enthusiasm and a sincere dedication to pleasure.
Every year, the world's leading sexual technology entrepreneurs get together to network, discuss the current state of the industry and where it might be heading at the Adult Novelty Manufacturers Expo (ANME).
At ANME 2023, Kinkly sat down with representatives from some of sextech's leading brands to ask them, "What does pleasure mean to you (or your company) in 2023?"
Here's what they had to say:
Read: Behind the Scenes at a Sex Toy Trade Show
Motorbunny
"Pleasure is a term I consider fundamental to the communications between people as well as people and products. I see 2023 as a year of connectivity and growth for Motorbunny. This is also what I experienced with the team at ANME."
Clandestine
Clandestine Operations Manager Lulu Shwartzer said, "We're coming out of a cave, so pleasure is intimacy that's been missed over the last few years and creating that intimacy between partners, between people, no matter what gender, no matter what belief system, and creating intimacy is creating pleasure."
READ: 5 Intimate Sex Positions Designed to Bring You Closer (Literally!).
DAME
Alex Fine, who represented DAME at ANME 2023, said, "Pleasure means creating space to safely foster curiosity and play; that would be our inner space of pleasure where we can learn about ourselves.
When we feel the opposite of pleasure -- when we feel pain or discomfort -- we shut down; we feel shame; we feel smaller. Pleasure makes us feel bigger; pleasure makes us feel like we're living life. Pleasure makes us feel that we're entitled to take up space. Erotic pleasure is such a powerful place to learn about pleasure and life."
Prism Sales
Jay Scheinberg of Prism Sales answered, "Pleasure resonates heavily with the service I provide manufacturers and customers on a daily basis. I am fortunate to have the support of so many people in the industry that I can truthfully use our motto, 'Your pleasure is our pleasure.'"
Earthly Body
Earthly Body's Georgene Smith Goodin said, "[Pleasure] is all about self-care and pleasing yourself."
READ: 25 Hot and Healthy Benefits of Masturbation.
Fun Factory
Fun Factory was represented by Nora Langknecht at ANME, who answered our question thusly:
"In 2023, we're defining pleasure as something that is a bold, bright, colorful and loud part of your life. In the last five years, we've seen a move towards using wellness to connect with people when it comes to pleasure, describing toys as 'pleasure devices' or 'self-care devices.'
"At Fun Factory, we've always believed you shouldn't be hiding your fun or having to rebrand your orgasm so that it's more mainstream. So this year, we're really focused on toys that are bold; all about fun, all about orgasms, and play, and not about making it palatable but just making it you."
High on Love
High on Love founder Angela Mustone said she believes "Pleasure is about loving thyself and, as my expression goes, since High on Love has always been about pure passion -- pure cannabis."
READ: I Tried CBD Suppositories for Sex and the Results Were Shocking.
FemmeFunn
Edan Raccah of FemmeFun said, "To me, pleasure in 2023 is multifaceted. It's the food I consume, the products I use (inside and outside of the bedroom) and all of my passions and hobbies. Pleasure is my holistic approach to taking care of my body and mind. For FemmeFunn, it is helping people find the perfect vibe(s) for them.
"With the help of our rebranding and relaunch of our website, we created a shopping experience that allows the user to filter through all of our products and find exactly what they are looking for, helping them find their pleasure and their fun. For La Nua, health and pleasure come together.
"By meticulously investigating the ingredients we put into our expertly formulated products, we were able to create natural pleasure-enhancing products that are just as effective as they are clean."
Je Joue
Je Joue's Ian Kulp says, "What pleasure means to me -- and what pleasure means to our brand -- is that it's safe, inclusive and it's consensual. [That's] in addition to reminding ourselves that we're our best partner -- so as much as we think about sex, and we design products for partner play, orgasms, edging, and all of those things, we have to remind ourselves that we need to take care of ourselves.
"Whether it's in the bathtub, a candle or a scent, or using a sexual aid to get there, it's really allowing yourself to have consent with yourself, so you can have better experiences with others -- and not feel ashamed.
"Since the pandemic, there's been growth in body-positivity issues and things like that. So, we're hoping that pleasure becomes more inclusive and to remind yourself that you are your own best partner."
READ: 3 Summer Time Body Love Tips and Tricks.
Kama Sutra
To Marla Lee of Kama Sutra, pleasure is "an absolute essential. Coming off of COVID, we've all learned that, at any time, things can change -- and they change quickly. So we have to live every moment with that in mind -- and pleasure is the reason to live."