Sexual wellness is not just one of the biggest sectors of the current health market, it has also been entirely reframed as a key part of holistic self-care following a shift in PR strategies to break down taboos.
Last year sexual health products were the second most purchased wellness product category after menstrual care, with 98% of women saying intimate care and sexual wellness products are an important part of their overall health and happiness (Stylus).
This growing consumer appetite follows consumers increasingly prioritising self-care, and their increased recognition of the role that sexual pleasure plays a key part in overall wellbeing due to its influence on physical, mental and emotional health.
As such, brands are welcoming and responding to demand by developing products that encourage a more mindful approach to sexual activity and improving accessibility to sexual health resources – opening up progressive conversations to make sexual experiences healthier and more meaningful.
For example, Sex Brand has championed sex as a normal part of everyday life and positioned it as essential part of overall happiness. Its bold branding and out-of-home advertising, featuring provocative slogans, reinforces the idea that consumers should feel positive and excited about sex.
Likewise, digital platform Zults has taken an open approach to sexual health, inviting users to upload their STI test results in order to receive a verified digital badge to share with potential partners via the app. The company partnered with Sexual Health London and sexual wellness e-tailer Luud Health to offer app-compatible testing with at-home kits – highlighting the importance of STI testing while removing any stigma around discussions.
Finally, following, rising consumer knowledge of skincare ingredients and the skin microbiome, brands are responding by formulating products with natural ingredients to support wellness and minimise any side effects – positioning sexual wellness products as sophisticated and elevated.
The growth of this market provides an opportunity for brands to implement new tactics to engage more directly with audiences, thanks to a breakdown in taboos.
Just some of these tactics include:
Cross-category partnerships & creations
Brands creating sexual wellness products are increasingly learning from other categories, and there is a great opportunity to be bolder and more expressive through innovative product opportunities and partnerships.
Sexual wellness brands have partnered with other like-minded brands to highlight overall holistic wellness and create unique mailers for media and influencers to celebrate new product launches – such as functional mushrooms and chocolate with libido-boosting ingredients, and candles featuring sensual scents & massage oils.
Cause-led campaigns
As well as offering products and services to enhance sexual wellness, brands are now going one step further by championing causes and campaigns that resonate with their target market. For example, Dame Products, known for its eco-friendly and body-safe sex toys, has launched a number of education campaigns to empower women to take control of their sexual health through educational workshops and collaborations with expert sexologists, therapists, and educators to create content that is credible and informative. With awareness days such as International Women’s Day now becoming over-saturated and competitive to gain cut-through, brands instead are communicating their values more authentically by championing causes year-round. Brands have an important role to shape conversations around sexual wellness by breaking down barriers in communication, making their products truly inclusive to all diverse audiences, and be authentic and transparent in communications.
Influencer Collaborations
As the conversations around sexual wellness open up and are normalised, in turn we’re seeing an increase in more ‘sex-positive’ influencers. This year, influencer platform vHib.ai reported influencers in the sexual wellness, menstrual hygiene, and fertility segments have seen a 50 to 100% rise in followers. As social media is now increasingly becoming an avenue for people to get information, brands can utilise this by partnering with relevant influencers to promote products & campaigns and help spread awareness. Paid partnerships in particular are an essential way of working with large, macro influencers to share educational content, resources, and link to external campaign websites.
However, before making any approaches you need to consider and understand exactly who you are trying to reach. If your brand spans a vast target audience, it is vital to consider diversity in your influencer strategy – including those from minority and LGBTQI+ communities.
With the global sexual wellness market predicted to continue on a trajectory and reach $110.3bn by 2030 (Stylus), now is the time to capitalise on this success and execute an impactful PR strategy to help your brand stand out among competitors.