August 7, 2011

• Recession Sex Update, Make Love, Not Reservations

  The on-going recession still has not affected the sexual-accessories business and in fact it may have helped.

  Data continues to show that such things as his-and-hers lubricants and mass-market sexual-enhancement devices are producing fireworks in supermarket and drug-store aisles.

  Second-quarter sales of personal lubricants soared 38% to $51.4 million, according to Information Resources Inc., led almost entirely by continued strength from last year’s launch of Johnson & Johnson’s K-Y Yours & Mine his-and-hers lubricant and this years run away success K-Y Intense.

  That makes sense in this economy, make love, not reservations.

  The first major mass-market female-arousal gel, a product which has gotten major end-aisle displays in such surprising places as Walmart! Yes, Walmart, we all remember they banned a Green Day album but made space to sell arousal gel!
  
  “Meanwhile, the small but suddenly booming ‘sexual-enhancement devices’ category in food, drug and mass-market stores is growing even faster, albeit off a very small base, up 74% to $10.1 million, according to IRI, with Church & Dwight’s Trojan and Durex products leading the way.” Durex reports that drugstore sales of their condoms were up 6%.

  “With a crippled economy forcing millions of cash-strapped Americans to entertain themselves at home,” said Charisse Jones of USA Today, “it’s not surprising that one particular product is seeing a sales increase—condoms.” A relatively inexpensive form of birth control, condoms are especially popular in tough times when struggling couples want to avoid “having more mouths to feed.”

  “‘When the economy goes down, sex goes up,’ said a Johnson and Johnson spokesman by way of explanation, but he and the brand team declined to elaborate on why their products seem to be booming when the economy isn’t.”

  • 2:52 pm
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