An almost unbelievable story, but it's true: As a 26-year-old platoon commander during the Persian Gulf War, Scott Fraser created a "whack shack" to give his Marines some alone time. "There was a long waiting period before the war started, and there was one time I came out and realized that I had been in the whack shack six times that day, and I thought, 'Do I have a jerking off problem?'" recalls Fraser. "I took a survey of the platoon, and the average was eight, so everyone was looking at me like I was kind of slacking. And I thought, Okay, I can step things up..."
Fraser discovered that gun oil, a dimethicone-based lubricant found in the butt-plate of an M-16, was useful for more than just cleaning guns. "I kept thinking about it each day after I'd come out of there, and how some day I would take that as a consumer product."
Mission accomplished. Fraser started Empowered Products in 2002 with Stroke 29 Rocket Fuel, a masturbation cream that transforms from tackiness to slickness to simulate the feel of aroused tissue. He quickly realized they needed a lube, and the silicone-based Gun Oil was born. Soon to follow was Jack Jelly, a jack-off gel that offered a more economical alternative to Stroke 29. "People challenge me with Stroke 29: 'It's not 29 strokes, it's 32 strokes, fucker!' Okay, well you got me on that one," Fraser laughs. "It is around 29 strokes."
A water-based version of Gun Oil was released, which has since been reformulated and recently relaunched with a slicker version (Gun Oil H2O) that offers the glide of silicone and the convenience of a water-based lube. Armed with an arsenal of quality products, Fraser followed the advice of his buyers, who told him to hit the gay market through pride festivals. Seattle was the first stop in 2003, soon followed by San Diego, Palm Springs, and Vancouver.
"That's when it really started taking off, and we started finding a real niche," Fraser says. "When I started, I wasn't thinking gay or straight, I was just thinking it's a great product. But the gay market is definitely where it went. And the market that is coming on is women."
That interest prompted the creation of Pink Lube for Ladies, which will expand into a bigger line of products, like a Pink cream for nipple manipulation. With some new packaging options, Fraser — who formed his own sales network with reps that travel the country, instead of using a distributor — is seeing more interest from retailers like Spencer Gifts, CVS, and Walgreens, which he has penetrated on a limited basis.
Fraser hopes to release a new product every quarter. A new contracting lube that will make holes seem tighter is on the way later this year along with special condoms lubricated with Gun Oil, and an exothermic lube should hit in January. Fraser also looks to put more marketing muscle behind Jack Jelly and expand the lube market to Europe, while Empowered recently closed an account with a distributor to be its sales rep in India and China.
Empowered's undergarment line will also be expanded, building on the Big Boy — an insert that slides down the front of a man's pants to enhance endowment. It will now be built into a swimsuit/ undergarment. The Bubble Butt — a padded brief that makes a man's ass look rounder — is also available.
Fraser credits his growth with his willingness to give away product; the Happy Pack of samples has proved to be a winning idea, and he also takes pride in supporting all of his vendors, whether it's a single store or a chain of 75. Regional advertising, product giveaways... nothing is off limits.
"You have to be prepared to spend a lot of money on giving away a lot of product," Fraser says. "We spent a lot of money advertising for people that carry our products, even long before we make any money on the account. I've been patient as far as putting all the revenues back into the company while we build the trade name."
The name has quickly strengthened, aided by a reputation for quality and a smart marketing campaign. "I'll do different packaging for different markets and not throw one generic look out there and expect everyone to enjoy it. I haven't had anyone say that they can't stand the risqué nature of our photos... obviously they're very suggestive, and people seem to appreciate that."
Even Fraser's manly Marine pals are proud of his success, which looks to get even bigger. As he points out, there is no end to the idea. "If you jerk off each morning, you're going to make better decisions throughout the day. Maybe it's not the greatest cause in the world, but it's my cause," Fraser says. "I need to market that more: If you bust one out early in the morning, there's no road rage, no getting angry with the boss, no sweating the small shit. You're going to make better decisions."
Contact Info: GunOil.com; wholesale accounts: (800) 670-1776
