Last year was a watershed moment for sex technology. For the first time in CES’s decades of history, the category has not been banished to the dark corners of the showroom floor. That was after a controversial 2019, when the Consumer Tech Association (CTA) withdrew an award from Lora DiCarlo’s Osé sex toy because he “Immoral, obscene, obscene or wicked.” The setback made headings, is the revoked award crowned again, and CES 2020 was a “trial” for sex technology as a category. If all goes well, the CTA might welcome sex technology exhibitors at the world’s largest consumer electronics show in 2021.
And then the pandemic happened.
In general, a test run for sex technology last year was a success. However, it was still not clear whether the momentum would continue on a virtual CES 2021 after such a turbulent year. Now that the program is declining, it is fair to say that sex technology was a mixed bag at CES 2021. On the one hand, there were far fewer headlines and sex technology was still not a searchable category on the CTA’s website. On the other hand, the well-known brand Satisfyer won two CES 2021 Innovation Awards and no one tried to take it away. But one thing that remains crystal clear is that the sex toy industry refuses to give up a future where it is guaranteed at the table and its innovations are taken seriously.
aIt was disappointing that half of the sex tech exhibitors who were present were major brands like Lora DiCarlo and Satisfyer. Smaller or indie brands like Dame, Crave, OhMiBod and MysteryVibe that were on show last year have not returned. (Especially OhMiBod has had a low key at CES for years.) It can be said that there could be a very good reason for that.
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The core of CES is that companies not only get press coverage for their products, but also network with investors, other exhibitors in their industry and the general public. Some exhibitors did not see a particular need for it this year, given the general lack of a full digital CES and thriving sales due to pandemic. The sales boom was particularly good for online store brands – which include many of the sex-tech businesses that would go to CES. Lora DiCarlo, for example, claims that it gearned $ 7.5 million in sales during the past year. I spoke to Satisfyer and Lionness, and both brands noticed that they, too, noticed an increase in sales.
‘Virtual was different. There are fewer people, it will not have the Vegas touch that the program usually has. But I also saw it as a potential benefit, ‘says Liz Klinger, co-founder and CEO of Lionness. ‘Even if it’s online, it’s probably going to be the biggest show of the year, though it’s smaller. For us, we are a small business of five people. It is easier for us to get through the noise in this environment, as opposed to a personal environment where it is so large and that you may be placed in different angles depending on what year it is. ‘
“You know, I really wish we were talking on the floor now, because it’s going to be a lot more exciting,” Stephanie Tratchenberg, director of marketing and PR for Satisfyer, told Gizmodo. “But the presence and interaction and excitement we get is definitely still there, even though it’s just virtual.”
“Because I was virtual, I had concerns,” says Jeff Bennett, co-founder and CEO of Morari Medical, which makes a wearable patch to relieve premature ejaculation. (A taint bandaid, if you will.) “But we actually have a number of media queries to talk about what we do before the event takes place. I think you know, just the success of CES last year with sex technology calmed some people’s fears. This year, so far, we are responding well. ”
To be honest, sex technology has an enviable allure and affinity with virtual spaces that other categories might not do.
‘Sex technology will generally always make a headline. There is no shortage of headlines for sex technology in the media, ”said Bryony Cole, a sex technology expert and Lovehoney spokesperson. ‘It’s a great clickbait and I think in the context of a virtual show – we saw it all last year, it’s really hard to stand out or get a pull during an online conference, because people’s attention can be anywhere other than a laptop. But sex technology has an advantage, because it’s probably something people’s looking for. ‘
So if the lack of personal time was not a devastating blow, what about the CTA itself? Last year, the organization required sex technology exhibitors to comply a dress code and a comprehensive review process. Exhibitors were warned against wearing loose clothing, and all promotional materials and images had to be approved in advance by the CTA. And while Satisfyer and Lora DiCarlo had some impressive huts on the show floor, others were hidden in wide and wide corners. The hypocrisy of the CTA’s message was striking, as CES had allowed for decades scantily clad hockey with little objection.
Klinger told Gizmodo that the CTA did send a message about clothing this year, but it is unclear whether it is aimed at sex exhibitors just like last year. In any case, it was not nearly as complete as last year.
It is also noteworthy that one of Satsifyer’s Innovation Awards came in the category of software and mobile applications. It may seem like a strange thing to highlight as progress, but it does suggest that sex technology can be considered a mainstream category – not one required by a dove hole. (A bit like the Grammy Awards hip hop in its own category.) Maybe it’s also a sign that the category can finally get recognition for some clever technological innovations. The Satisfyer Connect app, for example, has quite a few new features. You can control vibrations based on ambient sound and playlists, program your own stimulation pattern ranges, sync multiple devices to a single level for simultaneous experiences, as well as a built-in private chat and video.
Yet it is far too early to say that the CTA has learned the mistake of its ways. As mentioned earlier, CES 2021 was much more subdued than in previous years – in part because it was all online, and because the Capitol riots did take place a few days before the show began. If and when CES returns to Las Vegas, we’ll have to see how sex technology exhibitors are treated to make a final verdict.
But that raises interesting questions. Where does sex technology come from? How does this category develop, both in terms of society and the technology industry in general? What innovations can we expect to see ahead?
Technologically speaking, sex toys can be quite advanced. It’s not just wifi on a basic vibrator. Lora DiCarlo’s Osé toy, for example, initially won its award for using microrobotics to mimic oral sex. Satisfyer is known for using air pulse technology to stimulate the clitoris in a touchless manner that ‘encourages blood circulation’. The amount of clinical research and beta testing that Morari Medical has spoiled is similar to efforts from other portable companies.
Cole says we can expect to see a range of subtle innovations in sex technology, ranging from better insulation and more sustainable materials, to quieter devices and wireless charging. We already see it ‘Hot’ toys from Lora DiCarlo, a trend that Satisfyer told Gizmodo that it is also working to develop.
“It goes beyond the vibrator,” says Cole, noting that the category outside of technology itself also moves the conversation about how people approach sex in all genders and sexualities. ‘Whether it’s air pressure technology, pistons or nipple play, but that it’s for all bodies – it’s one thing that comes out that is not necessarily just technology, but is more of a social conversation and creates different ways in which these products can be used. . It is very difficult to reinvent the vibrator, but how can we improve its functions? ”
But while all the sex-tech companies I spoke to agree that the category is becoming more mainstream, we are not quite there yet. CES is just one event – there are numerous other technological opportunities that also need to create the space for these devices, their creators and the conversations it causes.
“I would say just over a year ago, we rejected Samsung Women’s Health Expo because one of the directors who was there at the time said, ‘You have nothing to do with women’s health and you are not a ‘portable, so you should not be here,’ ‘Klinger told Gizmodo. The experience was frustrating as Lionness conducts extensive research and collaborates with physicians to investigate the role of sexual pleasure in general well-being and health.
These experiences also extend to funding. Many sex technology companies started by women – or startups started by women in general – have a downside when it comes to the venture capital game. In 2019, only 2.7% of the venture capital received only female founding teams. The numbers were worse for startups founded by black and latinx women, which gained 0.27% and 0.37% respectively. It was even worse in 2020 when global UK funding for female founders declined 27% over the same period in 2019.
‘I was surprised to see in 2018 during a femtech dinner how many founders worked at table in VC before starting their business, or had family or partners working in VC. It is very difficult to break in if you do not yet have a foot in the door in some way, ”says Klinger.
It’s a story as old as time, but what’s the key to making sex technology a category that is talked about like any other type of consumer electronics?
“I think it’s more important that we can put sex technology first and make it what’s not put away in the corner of a conference,” Cole says. ‘It’s not to have it as an editorial. The key is how do we not make it sexy? How do we not rely on sexuality to sell it? I think it’s a good move to place it next to everyday lifestyle categories. ‘
“It’s just being treated like another company,” Klinger agrees. “We just want to be treated as usual and not be turned away because someone feels uncomfortable with this or if they are afraid that someone else might be uncomfortable.”