Summary of "Can You Sell Sexual Wellness Without Sex?" | The Business of Fashion Podcast

Release Date: March 11, 2025
Host: The Business of Fashion
Episode Title: Can You Sell Sexual Wellness Without Sex?

1. Introduction

In this episode of The Business of Fashion Podcast, executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler Young explore the evolving landscape of the sexual wellness industry. Faced with increasing cultural conservatism and stricter social media regulations, brands within this sector are rethinking their marketing strategies and product offerings. Joining the discussion is BoF editorial associate Yola Mzizi, who provides in-depth insights into the challenges and adaptations occurring within the industry.

2. The Rise of Sexual Wellness Brands

Sheena Butler Young reminisces about a panel she moderated in 2023 at the Global Beauty Forum, highlighting the booming state of the sexual wellness category. At that time, the sector was thriving, breaking taboos, and attracting significant investment.

Sheena Butler Young (01:01):
"From positive to prudish, that's how some are casting the beauty industry's attitude towards the sexual wellness category in recent months."

Yola Mzizi elaborates on the shift from legacy brands like Trojan and Durex, which traditionally focused on male consumers with gender-normative products, to newer, female-founded brands emphasizing women's pleasure and wellness.

Yola Mzizi (01:20):
"A lot of these brands were founded by women and were mostly primarily concerned with women's pleasure and women's concerns in the bedroom."

These emerging brands distinguished themselves with sleek, non-hypersexualized packaging suited for mainstream retailers like Sephora and Target, and positioned sex as a component of overall wellness.

3. Cultural Shifts and Regulatory Pushback

Brian Baskin raises the issue of a conservative cultural shift affecting the sexual wellness industry, especially among young consumers.

Brian Baskin (04:56):
"Is that what happened here, or is there more to it?"

Yola Mzizi explains that while there is a broader swing towards conservatism, particularly with stricter laws on gender identity and abortion access, Generation Z's relationship with sex is more complex. Growing up with unrestricted online sexual content may have led to a paradoxical pullback in interest without a direct increase in conservatism.

Yola Mzizi (04:56 - 06:40):
"Even though we are seeing in surveys that Gen Z is indicating that they're having less sex and less interested in sex than, say, previous generations, this does not necessarily mean they're more conservative."

4. Marketing Challenges and Social Media Censorship

The episode delves into how sexual wellness brands are grappling with strict social media policies that limit their advertising capabilities.

Sheena Butler Young (06:58):
"But that's actually showing up in how these brands have to shift course in marketing and in how they sell sex."

Yola Mzizi details the restrictions imposed by platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), which prohibit ads promoting the sale or use of adult sexual arousal products unless they focus on reproductive health and are targeted to users 18 years or older.

Yola Mzizi (07:12):
"Meta... they have very clear policies that their ads cannot promote the sale or use of adult sexual arousal products or services."

These limitations have forced brands to pivot towards health-focused messaging to maintain their presence and appeal.

Brian Baskin (08:37):
"If they can't get the message out the way that they used to, they have to make a full pivot into science and wellness."

5. Retail Landscape and Shelf Presence

The conversation highlights how mainstream retailers are recalibrating their approach to sexual wellness products. Browsing historical websites via the Wayback Machine, Brian Baskin contrasts past and present branding strategies, illustrating a shift from playful and overtly sexual imagery to more clinical and wellness-oriented presentations.

Brian Baskin (09:44):
"Today there is a static photo of their products which could just be any type of skincare. Their completely generic packaging, their tagline is now, better intimacy, better health, more fun. It's a total pivot."

Yola Mzizi adds that retailers like Sephora are adjusting their offerings, with plans to remove sex toys while continuing to stock lotions and lubricants.

Yola Mzizi (12:07):
"We see that Sephora by the end of the year will be removing sex toys from they're offering."

This shift reflects broader cultural norms and the ongoing struggle for sexual wellness brands to find appropriate retail spaces without diluting their brand identity.

6. Funding Challenges Amid Cultural Conservatism

The episode addresses the difficulties sexual wellness brands face in securing funding, exacerbated by cultural conservatism and the industry's classification as a "vice" category by many investors.

Yola Mzizi (18:26):
"Sexual Wellness falls under vice categories for a number of investor firms... So they were already having a tough time. But being in this sort of environment where there is sort of a shift towards cultural conservatism, this has just compounded on that."

Brian Baskin notes that while these brands initially benefited from a surge in venture capital during the late 2010s and early 2020s, the current climate has made subsequent funding rounds more challenging.

Brian Baskin (19:26):
"Securing that next round of funding has gotten a lot harder for everybody."

7. Strategic Pivots and Brand Adaptations

Despite these challenges, some brands are successfully adapting by redefining their market positioning and exploring new retail channels. Yola Mzizi shares examples of innovative strategies:

• Hello Cake: Transitioned from sexual wellness to include pharmaceutical products like female-targeted Viagra, aligning with health-focused messaging to maintain retail partnerships with giants like Target and Walmart.

• Wooj Pleasure: A pre-launch brand positioning itself as a tech company, targeting electronics retailers like Best Buy instead of traditional beauty stores, thereby reclassifying its products within the tech sector.

Yola Mzizi (23:18):
"Wooj Pleasure... they're positioning the whole category as tech."

Emily Oberg’s Sensual Sport leverages platforms like OnlyFans to promote her brand, ensuring her audience is already receptive to her products without needing to navigate restrictive mainstream marketing channels.

Sheena Butler Young (22:03):
"There are brands that want to do that. They want to be out there and bold about emphasizing sexual wellness."

8. Future Outlook and Conclusion

As the industry navigates these turbulent times, the episode concludes on a note of cautious optimism. Yola Mzizi emphasizes the importance of adaptability for long-term success in the sexual wellness sector.

Yola Mzizi (25:59):
"The best thing brands can do to better position themselves is to be malleable enough to adapt as the winds change."

Brian Baskin reflects on the persistent demand for sexual wellness products, suggesting that despite cultural shifts, the foundational need remains robust.

Brian Baskin (25:19):
"I mean, once this stuff is out there, I don't think it goes away... I believe it's only onward and upward."

The episode underscores that while sexual wellness brands face significant hurdles, innovative strategies and a focus on health and technology offer pathways to sustained relevance and growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Evolving Market Dynamics: The sexual wellness industry is transitioning from overtly sexual branding to more health-focused and mainstream approaches due to cultural conservatism and regulatory constraints.

• Marketing Restrictions: Social media platforms' stringent advertising policies limit the ways sexual wellness brands can promote their products, necessitating creative pivots.

• Retail Partnerships: Mainstream retailers like Sephora and Target are reshaping how sexual wellness products are displayed and marketed, often removing sex toys in favor of more discreet wellness items.

• Funding Hurdles: Increased cultural conservatism and the classification of sexual wellness as a "vice" category pose significant challenges for securing venture capital.

• Adaptive Strategies: Successful brands are redefining their market positioning, leveraging new retail channels, and adopting technology-driven approaches to maintain and grow their presence.

For a deeper exploration of these topics, please refer to Yola Mzizi's article "Can You Sell Sexual Wellness Without Sex?" available to BoF Professional subscribers.