Sex toy sales surge during the coronavirus pandemic, helped by Gwyneth Paltrow, Dakota Johnson, Cara Delevingne and other celebrities

Attitudes towards sex and sex toys have become less conservative in part to increased exposure through social media, literature and television
Sexual wellness brands such as Sweden’s Lelo have used this increased visibility to reframe the global conversation around sex toys, and its marketing strategy

Sex and relationships

Divia Harilela

Published: 4:15am, 12 Apr 2021

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Gwyneth Paltrow’s vagina obsession shows no bounds. After touting the benefits of jade eggs, regular vaginal steaming and scenting your home with a vagina-inspired candle, the controversial wellness guru recently unveiled her latest project – a vibrator from her wellness and lifestyle brand Goop.

She is not the only celebrity to jump on board the sex toy bandwagon. In the past year, the likes of model Cara Delevingne, actress Dakota Johnson and singer-songwriter Lily Allen have all developed or launched their own vibrators, bringing a topic once considered taboo into mainstream conversation.

So why is it that vibrators are now buzzing (pardon the pun)?

“It is impossible to deny the role the pandemic has played in the recent surge [of sex toy sales],” says Luka Matutinovic, chief marketing officer of Lelo, a Swedish company that develops intimate lifestyle products. “Sex and masturbation help us deal with the anxiety and uncertainty, and boost our immune systems and happiness levels.

Matutinovic adds: “As an industry, we finally got a seat at the table. As a result, we have seen a sales increase of around 148 per cent at the peak of the lockdown, and the momentum continued this year as well.”

According to him, changing attitudes towards sex over the past two decades have created new opportunities while propelling growth for brands in the global sexual wellness market. A recent report by Woodstone Research and Consulting revealed that the global sex toy market is poised to reach US$46.6 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.1 per cent.

Skinimalism, the ‘less is more’ beauty trend taking over the industry

Although Europe held the largest market share in 2019, the Asia-Pacific region is poised to be a major driver of growth looking ahead.

Over the years, public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, sex toys have become less conservative, due in part to societal changes and increased exposure through social media, literature and television – the Woodstone report singles out the Fifty Shades of Grey book and film trilogy as having single-handedly boosted the demand for sex toys.

That created an opportunity for sexual wellness brands to leverage this increased visibility to reframe the conversation around sex toys, and their marketing strategies.

“Media of course have been key for us to reach the masses and destigmatise topics, but now we are approaching [sex toys] more from a sexual health angle versus in the past where we emphasised sex for fun,” says Johanna Rief, head of sexual empowerment at WOW Tech Group, which also developed the Lily Allen x Womanizer vibrator with English singer-songwriter Allen.

“There are differences in how we approach customers in Asia versus Europe, but we are definitely bolder and franker when addressing the topic.”

Singer-songwriter Lily Allen with her Womanizer sex toy.

Advances in product design and technology have also helped boost demand. Gone are the days of the oversized “rabbit” – a toy that infamously appeared on the US television show Sex and the City.

In its place are highly engineered products that look good and feel good. Instead of bulky designs in ghastly colours, customers can choose from award-winning options such as the sleek Lelo Mia, a massager that looks like a lipstick tube and can easily fit in your purse, or the Lelo Ora 2, which looks like a design object that you could put on your bedside table.

Therein lies its allure. “We are famous for our sex toys that don’t really look like sex toys. They look as though they belong at home on the mantelpiece or the bedside table. It’s the perfect blend of form and function,” says Matutinovic.

Soraya from Lelo. Advances in product design and technology have helped boost demand for sex toys.

According to experts, technology has played a role in sexing up the vibrator. While patented technologies such as Womanizer’s popular Pleasure Air and Smart Silencer (the latter silences the vibrator as soon as it comes into contact with skin) have attracted the masses, digital advances are transforming how we connect with each other – and our toys.

“We were the first brand in the market to offer an app for sex toys, about seven years ago. We were ahead of our time then but, since Covid-19, it has attracted a whole new set of customers,” says Rief. “One person can be in Berlin [in Germany] and the other in Hong Kong but you can still control your partner’s sex toy. It creates a whole new experience.

“Other trends we are seeing include smart toys and AI learning. Just look at how our smartphones have developed so quickly – many of these new technologies can be applied to our industry.”

Sila from Lelo. According to experts, technology has also played its role in “sexing” up the vibrator.

Another segment of the market that has huge potential is men’s products. While Matutinovic says there was a notable increase in women buying Lelo products during the lockdown, more male-specific products are being launched, too, such as male prostate massagers.

Wow Tech recently revealed a new male-dedicated brand called Archwave, centred around its “star” product, the Ion.

“For a long time, we thought there was no market potential for men. We then realised that the journey to the orgasm is something men could be interested in, which is different to the approach we take for women. It took us two years to develop, and we are very excited to see how it is received,” says Rief.

The demand for a sex toy may come down to its combination of design, quality and technology, but the industry as a whole is set to benefit as attitudes continue to shift around the world.

Tiani, a sex toy from Lelo. The industry as a whole is only set to benefit as attitudes continue to shift around the world.

“Nowadays, we are aware that owning a sex toy is part of a self-journey into getting to know your body and what pleases you, while enhancing your own and your partner’s sex life. Personal pleasure has never been more widely discussed than it is now and accepted worldwide, so the pleasure industry can only get bigger and better as the discourse on the matter becomes broader and more inclusive,” says Matutinovic.