Pictured top from left, the Evoke from Jimmyjane, the Tantus booth, the Touch Extreme Vibrations from Nasstoys; bottom from left, Buck Angel with Perfect Fit founder Steven Callow, the Firefly line from NS Novelties, Topco's 4M Training Gear collection.
BURBANK, Calif.—Once again it was Christmas in July, as pleasure product professionals brought out their new toys for the ANME Founders Show, held July 16-18 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport in Burbank, California.
Attendees of the trade show were treated to the latest in technology, trends, colors and more in the pleasure products industry, with many products already shipping from exhibiting manufacturers.
As in past shows, the Big 5—CalExotics, Nasstoys, Topco Sales, Doc Johnson and Pipedream Products—were center stage in the main exhibit hall, showing off their newest products and upcoming collections.
CalExotics used the opportunity to debut its Jack Rabbit Signature collection, a range of three Jack Rabbit Vibes, each with distinctive features and functions. The Thrusting Rabbit offers thrusting action at the head as well as a clitoral stimulator with flickering ears, while the Rocking “G” version boasts seven functions of independent vibration, pulsation and escalation as well as a head that is bulbous and angled to stimulate the G-spot while inserted. The Silicone Beaded Rabbit has four rolling pleasure beads that run up and down the length of the shaft; the beads run along the front, back and each side. The company also added to its Scandal collection, debuting BDSM Rope, Lover’s Tape, a Beginners Fetish Kit and more.
Its sister company Jopen enticed buyers with the introduction of the Amour collection. Amour products are all crafted with Satin Finish Silicone, and feature seven functions of vibration, pulsation and escalation, including five incremental speeds for each function. The USB-rechargeable products come with a one-year warranty, and include a Remote Bullet with a heart-shaped remote control, the Dual G Wand rabbit-style massager with two motors and an ergonomic design, and the Mini G, a petite stimulator that boasts a G-spot curve at the lead.
Nasstoys impressed visitors to the booth with the newest additions to its Dominant Submissive entry-level BDSM range: the Chain Whip and Spiked Chain Whip.
“They look like jewelry, but they can be ‘deadly’ too,” explained Kathryn Hartman, sales and marketing director for Nasstoys. “They feel exquisite against the skin, while delivering a real sting.”
The big hit at the booth, Hartman noted, was the Touch Extreme Vibrations massager. Available in purple and pink, the massager features 10 functions and is rechargeable and waterproof. Measuring in at 5 inches long, the massager is coated in a silky soft silicone and is activated by human touch. If the massager is on a nightside table it will stay in place, but once picked up it starts vibrating.
“It is our number, number, number one seller this show,” Hartman said, adding the vibrator can operate in touch-mode, steady or through any of the 10 function patterns.
Nasstoys also introduced new nipple toys to the Seduce Me collection, as well as a new U-shaped vibrator in the Amore collection.
Topco Sales debuted the 4M Training Gear collection for men, which features an Endurance Penis Pumping Set, Pumping Cream, Endurance Lube and much more.
Autumn O’Bryan, Topco’s COO, also pointed out the company’s popular Bottoms Up collection received new packaging and introduced new lubricants.
“We’ve also added to the Vulcan line of strokers, which has proved to be very popular,” O’Bryan said.
The new items include vibrating versions as well as Wet versions, which come with textured and pre-lubricated love tunnels. The lubrication lasts for about 30 to 35 uses, O’Bryan said, and after that the stroker can still be used with added lubrication.
Also at the show, Topco showcased its private-label arm of the company, which now has been expanded to include toys alongside its popular cosmetics items.
Doc Johnson expanded its presence on the main showroom this year, with its Kink by Doc Johnson range exhibiting in its own booth across from the manufacturer’s main display. New items coming soon from the Kink by Doc Johnson collaboration include Swell Nipple Suckers, which can be programmed independently of one another for suction, vibration or both.
Ryann Brooks and Erica Braverman, marketing coordinators for Doc Johnson, noted the range will also add the Ring & Plug Set for urethral play. The kit features neoprene rings and stainless steel sounds. There will also be a new vibrator that has a crooked neck that moves back and forth in a “come hither” motion for G-spot or prostate stimulation.
Another major addition to the collection is an acrylic paddle that features a thick, clear acrylic side that delivers a real sting on impact, and a silicone handle that can be inserted for added play.
Doc Johnson has a new Automatic Pussy Pump that will be available soon. Brooks noted manual pussy pumps are routinely in the Top 5 best-selling products for the manufacturer, and the new version features a cup that fits over the vulva and offers powerful suction and an ergonomically designed handle for easier use and more comfort. Also on the horizon is a new Warming Accessory, a warming wand that is safe to use with any Doc Johnson strokers. Among those strokers is a new one inspired by up-and-coming adult starlet Blair Williams, who was at the show to help promote the new toy, which is part of Doc Johnson’s Main Squeeze collection.
Pipedream Products and its sister company Jimmyjane also debuted a number of new products, as well as added items to popular existing collections. Jimmyjane announced a total of nine new items, three each in three new collections. The manufacturer will soon debut three new rabbit-style vibrators, its first foray into that field, explained Molly Murphy, vice president of PR and marketing. None of the rabbit-style massagers have inner skeletons, she noted, which makes them unique and perfect for first-time users.
Also coming soon is the Love Pods collection, featuring the Ōm, the Coral and the Halo, which boast one, two and three motors, respectively. The hand-held massages have stimulating nubs and the like atop a round ball, which makes the massagers easier to hold and handle. Also coming from the luxury manufacturer are the Evoke massagers—the Sol-O, the Du-O and the Rol-O—that boast massage wheels for massaging and vibrating pleasure.
Pipedream Products will soon add to the existing Icicles collection with anal plugs and new colors. Also adding new items is the Crush collection, which offers silicone battery-operated vibrators for an MSRP below $40. The bright, jewel-tone colors of the Crush items make them a perfect starting point for anyone’s toy collection.
The King Cock collection is also adding new items, including some of its most popular pieces and sizes in a new tan colors, while the Fuck Me Silly range is getting the Fuck Me Silly Man! masturbator, which weighs in at roughly 20 pounds and features a turgid penis that could be popular with cam performers, Murphy noted.
Also coming from Pipedream Products is another fuck machine, the Bigger Bang. Priced at $200 MSRP, the machine not only thrusts one of the two included dongs at various speeds, but also rotates the dongs. Between the speed, rotation and thrusting, the machine offers more than 2,500 possible combinations, Murphy said.
Among the many other manufacturers exhibiting in the main hall was Xgen Products, showcasing a new line of sex toys branded by famed retailer Frederick’s of Hollywood. Xgen has the exclusive worldwide rights and distribution to the range, which encompasses nine items, including rings, vibes and couples sets. All are rechargeable and are purchased with their own gift wrap, tissue paper, and stylish carrying bag—plus a one-year warranty.
In addition to a new mini massager in its Bodywand range, Xgen also beefed up its Zolo family. The male sex toy brand boasts 12 new items, including pocket strokers, vibrating strokers and masturbators with silicone rings for a customizable experience. And most exciting is the Zolo Blowpro, the brand’s first automated item.
We-Vibe announced several new products coming soon: the Ditto, the Jive and the Gala. The Ditto is a new anal plug that has a flat side and a bulbous side to provide completely different sensations depending on how it is inserted. The Ditto is controlled via remote or by the We-Connect App, and it can be paired with other toys for two-way control. Out now, the Ditto is available in purple and navy blue. The Jive, which is coming at the end of summer, is a wearable egg that is bigger than the insertable stem of the original We-Vibe massagers, and has flexible antennae for control via the We-Connect app. The Gala will debut this fall and is a hand-held massager that fits into the palm of the hand and has two rabbit-style “ears” that are each powered by a Tango motor. All of the new items will come with a two-year warranty.
Icon Brands sales manager Sara Hentcy, who just joined the company, noted the manufacturer expanded its 9s line, which features a number of products that wholesale for $5 and retail for $9.99. Included in the collection are cock rings, small vibrators, introductory BDSM kits and more. The Hey 19! collection of strokers also is expanding, with six new girls featured in the collection, including Megan Sage and Jillian Janson. Foot fetish fans will be impressed with the new Keisha Grey Foot Fetish masturbator, which features Keisha’s molded feet next to one another in a heel-to-toe position and provides two access points: one at the bottom of the heels and one in between the arches.
Another exhibitor drawing on star power was the Cousins Group, which featured performer Allie Haze at the show to promote her My First Penetration stroker. Haze also was there to direct buyers’ attention to the strokers branded for fellow stars Alexis Texas, Jada Stevens and Morgan Lee, as well as the company’s core collection: the Bonnie Rotten Black Label, which includes multiple strokers as well as vibrators and anal toys.
Kama Sutra is adding new scents to the Ignite collection of massage candles: Tropical Mango and Vanilla Sandalwood. Sales rep Nick also pointed out the flagship product, Oil Of Love, will now be available as Petites, with bottles that are half the size of the originals and are available in all varieties. The Petites come with a lid and eye-dropper for application.
Lovehoney impressed attendees with displays of several new licensed collections, including tokidoki, Coco de Mer, Broad City and Fifty Shades of Grey. Sales rep Sabrina Earnshaw said the Broad City collection, the newest for the manufacturer, came about because those associated with the show were interested in creating a line and approached Lovehoney because of their successes with previous collaborations. The items in the Broad City range, billed on the packaging as “Some High Class Shit,” are named after the scenes in the show they were featured in. Included in the range are Mind My Vagina lubricant, a lipstick vibe and more. Also at the booth were Series 3 of the Lovehoney x tokidoki collaboration, which features a Day of the Dead theme; and the Fifty Shades Freed range, with a massager that delivers suction to the clitoris while it vibrates, and the Pleasure Overload 10 Days of Play, an advent calendar-style box with entry-level BDSM items that build on one another to make an impressive kit.
Hot Octopuss, which is known for its male masturbators that feature Pulse Plate technology, introduced the Queen Bee, its first product designed for women. The Queen Bee is a wand that has an oval-shaped head that is powered by the same Pulse Plate technology. There is no vibration in the handle, and each side of the head offers different intensities.
In the XR Brands booth, newest rep Michael Guilfoyle showcased the SheGasm Pro, a massager from the Inmi collection that delivers air suction to the clitoris and comes with three interchangeable heads. The USB rechargeable piece is waterproof and boasts three speeds and 10 functions.
Also new is the Rimsation, a remote-controlled anal toy that has rows of rotating beads in the neck and offers three speeds and four vibrational patterns. Other additions are BDSM items such as an Electric Pinwheel; Hell’s Bucket, which is a ball spreader with a small metal pail that dangles below from a chain and can be filled with any number of items to weigh it down; and Jugs nipple clamps, which also feature small buckets hanging below the slips.
The Adventure Industries booth was buzzing with new items from the Rabbit Company. In addition to three recently released styles—the Beaded D.P. Rabbit, Kissing Rabbit and Thrusting Rabbit—there were four brand-new XL Rabbit styles, which are bigger in size, even more powerful and have a longer run time.
Also on display at the booth was the Drilldo line of “sex tools,” which was augmented by the Drilldo Thrust, providing 3,000 thrusts per minute and a variable speed trigger.
Aneros showcased its new Trident series, which features redesigned classic shapes from the company. Product designer Forrest A. said previously the shapes only moved in and out and up and down, essentially along the x and y axes. Now, Forrest said, the extension of one of the external arms redistributes the balance of the pieces so they are more fluid in their motion while interred, and now move along the z axis as well.
“The pieces wobble inside, giving new sensations and providing more stimulation inside and out,” he said.
The Trident series will begin shipping in October.
NS Novelties showcased its latest additions to the Firefly collection. While many of the items are made from flexible TPE, the new eggs and plugs are made of glass with the glow-in-the-dark material suspended inside. Reps set up a special viewing room next to the booth with black curtains and black lights so buyers and guests could marvel at all the colors and styles.
Ovo Lifestyle Toys rolled out new items in two groups. The Phase 4 collection of toys, shipping this summer, is a mix of rabbits and straight vibrators in multiple sizes—all battery-powered and waterproof. The Phase 5 collection includes five distinctive toys that all feature a ridged texture that simulates the feeling of motion. As an added enhancement, both the E7 rabbit vibrator and the E8 vibrator are enveloped in Ovo’s SilkSkyn material, which gives to the touch for a softer feel. And in the biggest news, Ovo will make the leap into anal toys with the Q1 anal stimulator.
Perfect Fit Brand had new items from its Fun Boy collection on display, including one piece that is part packer, part strap-on and part extension.
“Overall, it’s a pretty versatile product,” said Steve Callow, CEO. The piece comes in clear and black and also fits on the Zoro item for added play.
Also debuting from the manufacturer is the Kiss-X, the newest piece from the collaboration between Perfect Fit Brand and Buck Angel. The Kiss-X features a similar design to the Buck-Off, but is meant for use on a normal-sized clitoris as opposed to a trans man’s testosterone-enhanced clit. A smaller version of the Buck-Off, the Kiss-X is textured inside and fits tighter, Callow said.
Buck Angel was also a collaborator on lubricant manufacturer Sliquid’s new T-Lube. The lubricant, available now, is much like the company’s Satin formula, and is endorsed by Angel to meet the needs of a male-to-female transgender people, explained Sliquid rep Michelle Marcus.
Also new is Pop Lube, the result of another of the manufacturer’s collaborations. This time, Sliquid partnered with PopDildo creator Stephanie Berman to create a hybrid formula that works with Semenette and PopDildo products.
Speaking of lubricants, Paradise Marketing was the spot to check out Astroglide O USDA-Certified Organic Oil-Based Personal Lubricant. “The organic, all-natural products are quickly gaining traction in the lube market and it doesn’t get better than Astroglide,” said Dennis Paradise, president of Paradise Marketing. “Customers will love the texture, the aroma and the fact that the rich emollients are perfect for use as a massage oil as well.”
In addition to a wide range of lubes, Paradise Marketing also specializes in condoms, and many were featured at the booth, including Trustex Flavored Condoms and Kimono Condoms (which now offers an XL size). But Paradise was even more pleased with a gadget so new it did not yet have a name. A clear cylinder, it serves as a base for displaying fully inflated condoms, giving consumers the opportunity to fully examine the product. Paradise noted that the display lets consumers experience the thickness of the condom as well as surface textures and lubrication.
Evolved Novelties’ newest item is the Love Spun, a rabbit-style massager that has a rotating wheel with soft silicone flaps atop the clitoral stimulator.
Several new items are coming to the Zero Tolerance Toys brand as well, explained Lucy Vonne, sex toy expert for the company. Included in the upcoming releases are the Twisted Rimmer, one of the products that will move Zero Tolerance Toys into the market of rechargeables. The Twisted Rimmer is an anal toy with rows of rotating beads in the neck and a rotating head. Also new is The Bomb range of single-use masturbators that are packaged to look like cartoon bombs. With various textures and names, each of The Bomb masturbators comes with a free DVD download.
Sportsheets not only showcased its new crops and riders in silicone, but also its newly revamped and repackaged Sex in the Shower collection. With new packaging that features a pale blue and pink color scheme and images of couples on the boxes, the range has brought back favorite products—including the Suction Handle Bar and Vibrating Mesh Sponge—and added some new pieces such as the Silicone Slapper.
Reps in the Tantus Inc. booth presented the newest Super Soft silicone items, including new pieces that come in a unique copper coloring and feature steampunk detailing. There are also three new silicone paddles that are modeled after a Scottish tawse and an English cane.
But it wasn’t all business all the time. The ANME Founders Show also featured a number of networking and party opportunities, including the AVN cocktail party on Sunday (check the photo gallery here), the first full day of the show, and the StorErotica Awards on Monday. See other photo galleries from the trade show here and here.
