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In 2016, British startup MysteryVibe made waves with its first product, Crescendo, in the world of sex toys and in the wider design and technology space.
Reimagining of traditional vibrators, this flexible silicone rod with six vibrating motors, whose strength is controlled by the application, promises to be customizable and can be applied to different body types and genders
This is not the first sex to have plasticity.
Sex toys neutral
Not every reviewer thinks it has reached the hype of its adaptability and accessibility.
But its clever and simple innovation and smooth execution, not to mention effective marketing, make it typical of a new generation of smart, sensory-novel and customizable technologies.
This year, MysteryVibe is moving step by step from anatomy-
Try to sell the neutral extensibility of a clear penis --
Products centered on Tenuto.
They announced the new toy in December, their sophomore, although the $130 device may not be shipped until it is available. An L-
Similarly inlaid with a flexible silicone ring in the shape of six applications-
Tenuto connects a variable-strength motor to be installed on the user's penis in several possible ways.
But no matter how people wear it, it offers a unique form of stimulation that is more comprehensive and diverse than any other male sex toy --
Industry terminology for penis-and prostate-
Target equipment-
There are many people in the market now boasting. MysteryVibe co-
Founder and "chief happiness officer" Stephanie Ayers recently told me that she thinks Tenuto by providing the feeling that people may have never experienced or even conceived before, can help people explore a new world of satisfying "happiness"
Centered on the climaxcentered, goal-orientated sex.
Slow down and learn more about their bodies and try new things.
"The whole story is something we are very eager to push forward," she added . ".
"Given that the current choice of male sex toys in form and function is limited --
There are few other products besides masturbation sleeves, penis rings and prostate massager --
As MysteryVibe hopes, Tenuto may become a device that defines a category.
But it faces a major obstacle:
Especially the large consumer groups of cis. gendered, self-
Directly identified)
As we all know, many sex toys are not bought.
When they do this, it's usually not because they're interested in exploring the new feeling Tenuto offers.
Of course, the researchers did not delve too deeply into how men came into contact with sex toys.
Social psychologist Justin lemelech, a sex researcher, speculated that this may be due to the fact that many people only consider toys as part of female sex and sexuality, and that few consider exploring the use of male toys.
Sales data from some sex stores do show that men buy sex goods more often than women.
However, data reporter Jon Millward conducted a 2014 in-depth survey of onechain sales, and the results showed that men mainly buy condoms and other things.
Women dominate the retailer's highest-selling equipment category of vibrating toys.
In the lower-selling analtoy category, men dominate the purchase. Butnon-
Straight men seem to push these numbers, reflecting the widespread and persistent stigma of straight men over anal stimulation.
Many men who buy toys for their own gender that are not explicitly made or sold seem to be in order for their female partners to use, both in terms of sex and in themselves.
Few women buy toys for male partners.
A 2009 survey also found that only a small number of American men have used vibrators, and most of them have only used these toys (
Probably only)
Their female partners, not for entertainment alone.
Millward and others have found that when men do buy items for their own use, it seems that most people have chosen the penis ring, or other equipment that is mainly used to help erect or maintain erection in patients with erectile dysfunction.
In Millward's data, only about five of his already limited male consumers actually bought a device specifically for penis stimulation.
His figures show a significant surge in male toy sales from the medium term
2000 in the middle2010s.
Cultural observers have raised the reasons for the weakness of the male sex toy market, all of which can have some advantages: for example, most media only portray women as toy users
They are increasingly seen as the soul of sexual liberation.
In rare cases, pop culture does show men how they use sex toys on their own, and they are often portrayed as sad sacks or geeks who can't find a partner.
The spirit of The Times also seems to increasingly see sex toys as an important tool for women's happiness, which is an important part of overall health or strong relationships.
That's why big chain retailers like Wal-Mart are now comfortable selling vibrators.
But the spirit of The Times also insists that men's sex and happiness are simple, based on the pursuit of a fast and effective climax, for which only one hand and a repetitive movement of friction are required.
This means that men who may want or even need toys are, to some extent, defective or abnormal.
This is quite a cultural and behavioral burden for a company.
So I asked Alys: Why did MysteryVibe decide to enter the space full of male sex toys from the beginning?
How does the company plan to sell new devices like Tenuto to a limited, potentially skeptical consumer base?
According to Alys, the mysterious atmosphere team decided to create Tenuto for a very simple reason.
Their existing consumers say they want the company to make it clearfacing toy.
Alys noted that while gender issues are growing
Many neutral consumers "still consider it a product for patients with vulvas.
This is not necessarily a problem.
Many men have discovered by working together or exploring alone that they can even bend toys made specifically for vulvas or vaginal use to suit their needs.
So many people think that the stronger people are women.
Focused toys may learn more intuitively that they can get some miles out of it for their own sexy anatomy. (
Similarly, vulvas MysteryVibe pointed out that people may also find it to keep the sound. )
But many men, if not most men, will not find what looks like a woman.
Makeup toys can also work for them.
Alys said: "One of the core parts of the feedback we get from the men who bought it for their partner is," when will you create something for me?
In other words, the mysterious atmosphere seems to see a clear male consumer willing to buy high
End and novelty toys for their own pleasure and exploration, just like the company's existing products, but waiting for clarity on something else, in a sense this will allow them to buy and
Looking at the male sex toy space, Alys said, the mysterious atmosphere team realized that there was enough room for innovation, especially by moving away from designs that tried to mimic the anatomy of the human body in both function and form.
As Alys says, variable, unified and discreet designs can offer together "something that someone with a penis can proudly walk into the store, buy and use.
Alys seems to believe that the emphasis on Tenuto's novel form (s)
Stimulation can effectively attract men-
Many men are eager not only for a respected company to tell them that it is OK to buy a toy for their own benefit, but also for a product that encourages them to explore the body.
"From some marketing and some of the ways we want to talk to people, it's our goal to talk around Happy Ascension," she explains . ".
However, she does acknowledge that there is a huge gap between pop culture and society in talking about women and men's toys and sex.
She also seems to admit that there is not much cultural power to regulate male toys like female toys in the past few decades (e. g.
Sex and City, Goop)
Not to mention the cultivation of complex views and encouragement of male sexuality slow, happy --not-orgasm-centered self-exploration.
She believes that this exploration is valuable for many men who have internalized a simple view of male sexuality.
She stressed that exploring yourself can clearly help men reach new heights of personal happiness and learn to explore the body of their partner, thus leading a more satisfying sensory life as a whole.
But it's hard to see this happy exploration.
Focusing on propaganda for tenutocan can drive most of the complete cultural barriers of the past, as well as the stigma of the use of male sex toys to reach the majority of male consumers.
So it may not be surprising, while Tenuto's promotional material mentions the fun and self of the novel
Exploring, they are equally dependent on the reasons men have used to buy sex toys, if not more: to meet the needs of female partners and to manage erectile dysfunction.
"Why use a vibrator," asked a promo, "when you can be a vibrator," by wearing the device, some of its motors act as a clit in penetration vaginal sex
According to MysteryVibe's press release material, this may help men narrow the climax gap with female partners.
They also boast that the feeling of Tenuto can trigger blood flow, which can help men to erect or maintain their erection.
These sales points will position Tenuto as a cross between the penis ring and the vibrator, and men may already be willing to purchase these items for their partner.
From this point of view, its humble design further positioned it as something that men may feel less embarrassed to buy than existing devices that can be combined for the same purpose.
For Alys, however, messaging is just a good hook to attract people initially.
She believes that the same narrative that has helped diversify female sex toys in recent years is infiltrating into the discussion of male sex.
It seems to convince her that after the right introduction, men will be willing to engage with Tenuto and want to buy it as a more revolutionary tool for exploring new types of happiness.
She also believes that by showing Tenuto in spaces that typically do not feature sex toys, such as tech conferences, she can create a moment of shock in an uninformed audience, opens a potential door for some to reconsider the role and meaning of male sex toys.
Novelty and surprise may be enough for people to explore Tenuto in their own unique sensory conditions.
However, none of this is certain.
Alys admits that the problem of how to overcome the limited cultural power of male sex toys in the past "is a lot of the problem that we are still trying to solve ".
She added that the Tenuto family alone will not disrupt long-standing social activities --
By doing so, new potential has been opened up in the male sex toy market.
"I may be talking about sex all my life, breaking the status quo and building a new attitude," she said . ".
In this sense, Tenuto may be part of sexual activity just as much as starting a business.
At least to some extent, this is a mysterious declaration about the reality and needs of male sexuality.
This is a gamble on the power of some established marketing entry points, surprises and innovations to encourage people to work with (for many)
A new and complex vision of male happiness and sexuality.
Whether the game of this startup will pay off is impossible.
But even if it managed to move the needle a little, it could be a big step in a more diverse and dynamic direction (and lucrative)
Male sex toys market