If you're not familiar with Fun Factory, grab one of their product boxes and take a look. Based on statistics, there is about an 85 percent chance that your native language is used on the company's expertly designed packages.
The Germany-based manufacturer packages its products with English-, Spanish-, French-, and, of course, German-speakers in mind. As a result, the good word has spread through various native tongues, and the high-quality silicone toys Fun Factory produces have become a worldwide phenomenon.
Fun Factory has developed its stable of erotic and sensual products since its origination in Bremen, Germany, in 1996.
One ocean away in Burbank, Calif., Fun Factory USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Fun Factory GmbH, is the importer and distributor for Fun Factory products in the Americas. When talking to CEO Christian Trinker, it's clear that Fun Factory has not forgotten its humble beginnings. The company still has its 1992 Jeep Cherokee "delivery truck" to prove it.
Starting out in a home near Pasadena, the company expanded to a garage space in Eagle Rock after outgrowing the house. The company grew by quickly gaining the loyalty of boutiques across the country, Trinker explains. "It turned into sort of a grassroots movement ‘alternative' better-quality toys," he says. "The beginning was some of the best times of our lives. We didn't know just how great the product was. Soon, the living room became too small, and we quickly expanded to a warehouse in Burbank."
Trinker and chief marketing officer Rudy Kottbauer found that the U.S. was long overdue for a new style of toys through a market-entry study they did for their buddy back in Bremen. They came to their conclusion using their MBAs from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and their vast experience in business consulting and marketing for consumer goods. "It turned out that the U.S. market was longing for a different type of erotic toy with a focus on product quality rather than packaging appeal," Trinker explains. "So Rudy and I took a long shot and decided to give it a chance, in spite of all the difficulties with importing from Europe."
Although facing higher shipping costs, exchange-rate issues, and tough competition from China, Trinker and his team were unfazed. As a result, by focusing on quality over quantity, Trinker says, they have become a success in both continents. "I can only say quality pays off," he says. "Especially over the last two years, I see more and more that our retailers and their customers-end consumers-are more aware of high-quality products. They are able to distinguish very much between products which are manufactured in China and ours, which are 100 percent manufactured in Germany."
The company also makes a point of catering to women's needs. "A vibrator must appeal to a woman," Trinker says. "The women are the real shoppers if you get them interested in walking into your store. Women like less offending [and] pornographic looks in vibrators and dildos. Bright colors are important, as well. They have to have a fun, inviting, and unintimidating look."
Fun Factory models its toys for people who like softer looks that are "not so hardcore," Trinker says, and the design done in-house in Germany aims to target everybody.
"Packaging is very, very important," Trinker says. "It needs to be attractive, eye-catching, practical, easy to use, and easy to open. Retailers need to be able to open the box and show the product to the customer, in order to not break the box and put it back on the shelf."
After hours of meetings and lots of white-board material, the Fun Factory team in Germany strategizes based on customer feedback before even coming close to production. The cleverly placed miniature magnets installed to create appealing, secure packaging attest to that. Having 100 percent medical-grade silicone to go with customer outreach and reasonable pricing doesn't hurt either.
In response to its efforts, Fun Factory has received mainstream exposure in Newsweek magazine editorials and in the celebrity gift lounge at the Oscars, the Sundance Film Festival, and several galleries, events, and festivals.
Though Fun Factory has seen its toy line displayed in major department stores in Europe, Trinker says he doesn't get why U.S. stores haven't taken the same approach. "Europeans are a bit more open and do not get offended that quickly when dealing with sexuality," he says. "I do not understand why we are so prude in the U.S. when it comes to sexuality."
In preparation for the AVN Novelty Expo this month, Fun Factory is continuing its quest for innovation and improved industry outlook by showcasing amenities that may help eliminate some "U.S. prudishness." Having unveiled its Love Yourself! line to much approval at the Las Vegas International Lingerie Show in April, Kottbauer says Fun Factory will continue to expand this in Los Angeles. The products will consist of massage oils, candles, scents, and other body-soothing items. Kottbauer says the Love Yourself! items will inspire a romantic and relaxing atmosphere for anyone who uses them.
Fun Factory offers retailers stylish displays for all of its products. The "cube" is mainstream-oriented and is designed to touch on all Fun Factory products a store carries. Kottbauer says he and his team will advise cube-carrying retailers on strategic placement for maximum sales. "We have a team that has a strong understanding of the market and communicates the right message," he says. "We consider ourselves part of a modern lifestyle where making love and having sex with or without a partner is part of our daily lives."
While Fun Factory plans to continue building on its already solid foundation, don't be surprised if you see the company's 1992 Jeep Cherokee pull up. It's just a reminder of the industry-leading company's garage days.
