Sex + Design

Obsessed with Sex Products. Let me Explain.

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Between designing and manufacturing sex toys and building the World’s first Adult App Store Market, the past two years have been incredibly exciting, scary and rewarding at the same time. Compared to the mobile app world, the manufacturing world can feel very old school sometimes. I deal with raw materials, mechanical components, tangible gadgets and prototypes that I can craft with my hands and tools. Whereas with MiKandi, the entire product is delivered, experienced and enjoyed online. At first the transition from adult retail goods to adult digital goods, seemed like a giant step away from my resume. My friends and family sometimes would ask how I can be so obsessed with two seemingly different businesses and take on the 14 hour days that it takes to keep things moving and not get burned out. But I soon realized that the skills I’ve developed building our sex toy OEM/ODM business has prepared me more than I ever expected in building adult mobile products. That’s because both businesses revolve around the same passion I have for making products that improve your sex life and satisfy our deep need for pleasure. So as I look back on the success of MiKandi’s first two years, the saying “do what you love and you’ll be successful” is exactly what it’s all about.

For over 7 years, I’ve been focusing on making sex toys approachable and more mainstream. I’ve been obsessed with designing these products that are essentially on the edge, that deal with sex, your sexuality and generally things many people are uncomfortable talking about with their partners or even to themselves. How do you design something that helps eliminate some of those barriers, inspires people to open up and explore new sensations? Which designs will deliver a better first time experience and instill confidence in the user, which during such intimate moments, is absolutely critical? What makes this texture or that shape more pleasurable than the other? How do you make this feel more natural, more instinctive? How do we take advantage of the latest technology to deliver these types of experiences in a positive way? What’s the story behind this sex toy design and why does it matter?

These are the fundamental questions that drive our business. And in the process of figuring out the solutions, I’ve learned so much about product design and development, but more importantly how to find the answers. I’ve surrounded myself with an amazing team of engineers, designers, artists, marketing experts and fellow entrepreneurs to aid in our quest to deliver the best products possible.

Our approach to building the MiKandi product complements this in a beautiful way. In a world that constantly censors and considers sex taboo, we decided that the MiKandi brand is a reminder that we’re all adults here. That we all have our deep desires and want to explore our sex lives and be treated like adults along the way. Therefore, in building the MiKandi product, similar questions apply. How do you design the product so that it’s easy to talk about? What matters most when experiencing our services for the first time? What are people finding most pleasurable? What technologies do we focus on to deliver the best experience possible? How should we design the product to adapt to each user and resonate with their unique adult desires?

To find these answers, the MiKandi Team is comprised of software engineers vs mechanical/electrical engineers, but I now see that it all stems from the same passions and dreams.  Being “obsessed with sex products” has done me good.

Cheers!

The Future of Pleasure Products

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Hugh and HitachiLast week, I talked about the value of sex toys.  It’s a $15 billion dollar industry worldwide, but still incredibly overlooked.  Consider this: of all the different types of toys that come to mind, what do you think of first? Most people will answer with the “rabbit” or the more generic term “vibrator”.  But what about a brand name? It’s amazing that no major corporation has yet to step in and build a household brand in a billion dollar industry that’s growing by 30% each year.  Think of the guy who first invented the rabbit and coined it’s name.  If he had only protected his idea!  He would own his own little country by now and be loved by more women than Oprah.  Perhaps the Hitachi name rings a bell?   Hugh Hefner famously recommended for every guy to buy their woman a Hitachi wand in his “What I’ve Learned” interview.  He should have created a Playboy Wand that only the most savvy gentlemen carry.

philips vibratorsAs I mentioned in an earlier post, some of the big corporations have taken the leap into the sex toy world, but it’s more like they’re going for first base with a shy date than shooting for the home run.  I know this because I design for a few of them. You can’t blame them though. The pleasure product industry is still considered controversial and anything related to adult content is taboo to most of the business world.  And besides, I’m glad that they are not directly competing with boutique brands such as Jimmyjane, Lelo, Myla and our own InnerVibe.    

Still it’s fun to imagine what I would do if I had the incredible marketing power and r&d budget of a fortune 500 company.  Remember right before the iPod came out? Other Mp3 players had been available for a long time and some were actually kind of cool. Then Apple stepped in and killed it.  I foresee that same scenario with the vibrator.  There are a lot of vibes out there. ALOT. Some are really good, most are crap…but sooner than later, a group with a huge wallet and vision will take a risk and hit a home-run.  

Can you imagine what that product might be?  I imagine a lot more than you probably think is normal.  Together with my leading lady, Jennifer McEwenand the InnerVibe crew, we work with a variety of companies to do just that.  We go through miles of consumer studies, testing, research, you name it.  It’s what you might imagine Batman to have in his bat cave lab of secret projects, but the horny version.

Sometimes we work on improving existing products that are already successful.   For example, can you tell which one of these tools is a vibrator?

 pocket rocket comparison

If you guessed C, give yourself a quickie.  That item is called the Pocket Rocket and the rest are just tools.  Very catchy name.  Very ugly design. Yet, it’s constantly recommended by sex shops around the world.

So why is that? What’s so great about it? Well it has super strong vibrations, it’s compact and easy to maintain (runs on 1 AA battery).  It’s also affordable, but I think you’ll agree that such a popular mini vibrator should be a lot sexier than a garage tool.

So let’s take the same great qualities, (strong, compact, simple, affordable), but redesign the outer form, make it softer to the touch and pleasing to the eye:

All New Pocket Rocket
All New Pocket Rocket

What we get is a sexy, curvy pocket vibe with a soft coating and ergonomic shape.  Simple improvements, but such a big difference! 

We are finally giving the famous Pocket Rocket the makeover it deserves. 

The rabbit is another product that has seen very little change, but is also in need of a makeover. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons first:  

vibrating rabbit pros cons

Here’s our version: 

All New Rabbit Vibrator Concept
All New Rabbit Vibrator Concept

We have been playing around with this design for some time now.  The handle is curved which serves two purposes, 1) easier to apply pressure to the G-spot and 2) your wrists are in a more relaxed, comfortable position.  The tip is larger and curved to apply more direct pressure on the G-spot (although it could be curved a little bit more).  The shaft is still large enough to accommodate the rotating beads and the controls are now facing the user.  We cleaned up the silhouette for a fluid, modern look.  The unit is also completely waterproof and rechargeable. The problem is that we are missing the clitoral vibrating component…well that’s a big problem.  The challenge is to keep the vibration separated enough from the handle so that it does not tire your hand, but still keep with the aesthetics of the overall design.  You can see one such concept in pencil above, but we’re not satisfied with it yet. What do you think?

What’s Next?   

I envision the next step in evolving the vibrator is to transform how we interact with the vibe itself.  A lot of couples enjoy using a vibe together during sex. Holding the vibe comfortably and figuring out how to turn it on or turn it up, should be the least of your worries. You are moving around in all sorts of funky positions and probably the lights are off.  Whether you’re applying the vibe to your partner or your partner is applying the vibe to them self, it should be easy to hold either way, comfortable to use and have intuitive controls. You should be able to feel and maneuver it without having to think about it at all.  In contrast, how we interact with most vibes on the market is very mechanical and cold. You push a button, turn a knob, the electronic device turns on, you push back button, turn down knob and device is now off.  Boring.  The technology is out there to create a much more richer experience that that.  What if it gets stronger by how hard you squeeze the handle?  Or the vibe senses movement and increases the vibration as things are starting to heat up?  There are also new intelligent materials out there that react on touch. I’m sure it costs a lot, but hey we’re still imagining right?

As a guy, the one issue I have with using a vibe is that since there is about an inch of silicone/plastic material between your hand and her pink parts, you lose the sensitive touch that your finger can provide. In other words, with skin to skin contact, it’s easier to feel the right spot and apply the right pressure.  Of course, you may argue that with a strong vibe you just need to place it in the general area and chill out for awhile. This is true.  But imagine a thinner vibe, equally as strong and placed in a flexible soft casing that can now bend and flow with the subtle contours of your body, similar to a rose petal. Wouldn’t that feel so much better?  It’s a more sensual experience for both sides and the vibe would feel like a compliment to your own fingers rather than a mechanical device. 

Cheers!

Jesse Adams

Mr. InnerVibe

Designing Sex Toys – The Dream Job

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Finger vibe concepts

Sex toys, pleasure objects, or sexual enhancers -whatever you prefer to call it, it’s one of the most rewarding products you could ever design. It’s a product that speaks to our most basic needs, to the core of who we are. They enhance our sex lives, inspire sexual exploration and build intimacy in our relationships. And if you only have time for a quickie, they have a proven track record of success in the 1 minute dash. Every day the sex toy industry grows larger and becomes more mainstream. Major online retailers such as Amazon.com have become one of the biggest sellers of adult toys primarily because they are a safe and secure place to shop. Drugstore.com recently launched SexualWellbeing.com to offer a special destination for all your bedroom needs. Many shoppers don’t even realize that majority of the large supermarkets such as Walmart, Riteaid, Fred Meyers, etc. now carry mini-vibrators, finger vibes and vibrating rings.

Sex is everywhere, but it seems that most people forget this most celebrated universal addiction. We get so caught up about being sexually normal that we forget that the entire world is having sex. The only normal element is that we are all doing it differently. Take a look outside your window. Old people, young people, your parents, bosses, even that weird couple across the street, they all have sex. It’s really not a big deal. Everybody deserves a great sex life, not just porn-stars and ridiculously good looking people. Yet for most of history, people have tried to regulate your sexuality. Did you know masturbation was once considered punishable by death? Sex toys are still illegal in some parts of the Unites States. And Sodomy Laws still exist (yes, that means butt sex will send you to JAIL). No wonder any conversation involving sex toys can cause some to freak out and inspire others to get freaky.

couple foreplay

I have been a part of this growing industry starting five years ago and I can tell you that there is incredible untapped opportunity for designers in this business. The first question I usually get after exchanging business cards is how I got started in this industry. I usually prefer to announce with a big smile, “You should follow your passions!”, and then slightly more serious, “Well, why not?” All designers have a passion to create products that improves peoples lives. Passion, laughter, human touch, desire are all deep emotions and basic necessities that a designer may channel when developing new concepts. The story behind the sex toy product is no different. The reluctance comes from decades of marketing sex toys in the same space as pornography (nothing wrong with good porn though). Of course there are other social issues, but from my experience this old strategy lingers the most. You can tell by the assumptions people make about sex toys. For the most part, the responses I get are, “Oh I bet these products do very well in the night clubs?” On the contrary, young people, especially young guys are not the target audience at all, which is what one would think since sex toys have been typically plastered with your favorite porn stars. In fact, our best customers are serious couples or older men and women with prior sexual experience, typically after the age of 25 and up to 55 (perhaps older now because of Viagra).

It’s very rare for me to have any lengthy discussion about my line of work, simply because it’s too personal or too intimate a subject for most people. Even though millions of men and women use them daily, it’s still uncomfortable to talk about openly. But I notice more and more that this attitude is also changing for the better. New forms of social media are allowing people to open up and share their personal stories, offering advice and tips with the right amount of anonymity that the internet can provide.

InnerVibe Vibrating Rings
InnerVibe Vibrating Rings

After all, it’s not about how a person feels about the product, but how it makes them feel about themselves. Our sexuality is quite simply who we are, but there can be so much disappointment, shame and pain associated with sex. If you look at sex toys in this light, then you realize the tremendous potential they have in creating experiences with deep emotional connections. The types of experiences that empowers the user to lead a more fulfilling life. Sex toys are fun, invigorating, useful and if done right from product to packaging, will have a lasting positive impact. What designer could resist such a challenge?

Cheers!

Jesse Adams
Mr InnerVibe