Page 30 - AVN Intimate Summer 2019

COVER STORY
Sex educators, adult retailers and sexual
wellness advocates have championed personal
lubricants as a key ingredient to making
intimacy more pleasurable. But while the
focus is more often on formulas designed for women,
manufacturers are increasingly exploring the virtues of
lubricants for penis owners.
“A lot of penises like extra slip to their lube and
I think everyone likes lube that doesn’t have to be
reapplied constantly, especially for insertive sex
and masturbation,” said Elle Chase, a certified sex
educator, and body acceptance and pleasure advocate.
“In addition, people with penises and people with
vulvas/vaginas use lube differently for masturbation,”
Chase continued. “Penises may need more slip and
lubrication to get that good friction going.”
A 2013 study from Indiana University’s Center for
Sexual Health Promotion found nearly 50 percent of
men who greased up for sex or masturbation say it
makes it easier to reach orgasm. The same study also
found that not only does lubricant make it easier to
apply a condom, but men who used a well-lubricated
condom reported they became just as aroused as men
who went bareback.
But while the general public might think that
lube is lube is lube is lube, experts in the pleasure
product field understand that there’s more to just
slathering up with any old formula. Various types of
lubricant—water-based, oil-based, silicone-based and
hybrid—can be used in various situations and with
different partners. While water-based is considered
the most universal, since it’s compatible with most
30 | INTIMATE | SUMMER 2019
MAKE IT SLICK
Marketing to the male lube buyer
≥ BY Sherri L. Shaulis and Sharan Street
toys, condoms and people, it also dries out the quickest, so it’s not always the best option.
Chemicals such as glycerin and paraben can be found in other lubricants, and some men
and women can react badly to them. Add in the fact there are flavored lubes, and others
that deliver warming or cooling sensations, and it’s easy to see how the average consumer
can get overwhelmed.
And on top of what’s actually inside the bottle, the marketing that surrounds the
products also is important. On retail shelves over the past decade, many lubes have
emerged that address women’s health concerns specifically. But that doesn’t mean
manufacturers were ignoring male consumers. And their efforts to cater to all types of
consumers continue to gain traction.
“I think shoppers like to buy things that seem special, made specifically for them,”
Chase said. “In a way it feels like self-care or a gift to themselves, especially when it’s
something personal or intimate like lube. You want to know you’re buying something ‘for
you.’
“From that perspective, I can see an argument to be made that there is a segment of
the population that can be served by directly speaking to them,” she added. “Personally,
as a sexual health professional, I would love to see products go in a more gender-neutral
direction and give more options in one line as opposed to segmenting lines specifically.
However, from a marketing standpoint, I can certainly see why they do. Financially, it may
make sense.”
One man who knows the scope and history of the lubricant market is Dennis Paradise,
founder and CEO of Paradise Marketing—a leading distributor of lubricants and condoms
for more than 40 years. Asked about products specifically targeted at male consumers,
Paradise said, “I think that it’s a smart thing to do. One, to spread the brand. And two,
to make someone in a particular niche more comfortable with the product. I certainly am
enthusiastic and applaud the efforts that are being made to be more inclusive of various
niches within the market.”
Some manufacturers have packaged lubricants with men in mind, such as Topco Sales’
AdamMale water-based and silicone-based glides, or Doc Johnson’s TitanMen range,
Mood - Pleasure for Him collection or OptiMale water-based lube. But other companies
have made concerted efforts to create entire product ranges or brand names dedicated
solely to lubricants for penis owners.