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It was once not spoken about. Sex toys were sold in seedy shops in dodgy neighbourhoods. However, some sex positive companies are working to remove the stigma, and are being led by Vush.
Marketing sex toys is a complicated business. Commercial television has never been the place to market something so intimate. And, for a long time, even speaking about sex was considered taboo.
But with the rise of social media and sex positive influencers, all of a sudden brands are being given the opportunity to promote the self-pleasure stock.
Melbourne based business Vush is one of the industry leaders. The brand started out as selling vibrators, but has branched into more sexual products. It was the tactics used that really cemented Vush in the market.
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Influencer engagement
It was during the long lockdowns that Vush started to become a household name. As dates were off the table and people were forced to socially distance, Vush was able to capitalise. The sexual wellness company engaged with micro and macro influencers and went hard.
Across Instagram feeds, people were talking about sex. Sharing stories and more remarkably than that, showing the product. Posing with vibrators, happily talking about stimulation. It was new territory.
From accounts with 10,000 followers to accounts with nearly a million, women all over the country were talking about sex toys. It was becoming mainstream.
This was an interesting tactic because it strays away from almost all the normal rules with influencer campaigns. That is, engaging with an influencer that has brand alignment. Vush broke the rules, and instead targeted everyone. Why? Because everyone deserves self pleasure.
During 2021, Vush partnered with one of Australia’s most lucrative influencers Abbie Chatfield. The outspoken sex positive podcast host designed her own sex toy with Vush. Chatfield already possessed a reputation of being loud and proud when it came to sex. So the relationship between the two made perfect sense. And it seemed like risk versus reward worked for Vush. Chatfield’s vibrator was sold out in presale stages, and the demand continued to grow.
It can always be risky when teaming up with an influencer, but Vush has proven the power that influencers can and do have.
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Expanding its content
After successfully taking monopoly of the sex toy market, Vush expanded its content. It became a place for questions and education about sex. Vush’s website has become a place to answer all the sex questions that someone exploring that might have. It’s reminiscent of the old sealed sections in Dolly magazines.
From becoming a place of self pleasure to a place of education, Vush has done something clever with its marketing. It’s changed from being a single product business into a place to visit, ask questions, spend time, explore, and get to know the brand.
Personalising the experience
Each site visitor is also given the chance to complete a quiz. The quiz will then let the customer know which product will be most useful for their needs. It’s a clever way of personalising each customer experience. Personalised journeys are an imperative part of the ecommerce experience.
As sexual wellness brands continue to flourish, seeing the unique ways to market the once taboo is always interesting.
