“Diamond Products sets standards for innovation.”

Diamond Products, owner of the brands Pipedream Products, Jimmyjane, and Sir Richard’s, have secured the services of Annika Scherer. She is the company’s new Brand Ambassador, supporting Diamond Products’ partners in the trade and distribution segments. Annika, who has ten years of experience in the adult industry, serves as a connecting link between US-based Diamond Products and the European market. In our interview, she tells us more about her new job.

Congratulations on your new position at Diamond Products. Before we talk about your new tasks, can you tell us a little about you and your past activities?
Annika Scherer: Thank you very much! I started my career with Fun Factory after receiving my degree in International Studies of Global Management. I have been in the industry for 10 years, looking after operative and strategical support and taking care of key customers in Germany and other markets within Europe such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, UK, Holland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. I also worked with customers outside of Europe, in places like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Colombia.

I have been to many B2B and B2C shows in both the adult industry and the mainstream industry, such as Venus,eroFame, ETO, Erotica, Vitality Show, Autumn Show, Ambiente, Sexpo South Africa, and Sexpo Australia. Over the years, I have gained a lot of experience when it comes to customer service, brand strategy, and market approach.

“I have gained a lot of experience when it comes to customer service, brand strategy, and market approach.”

Why did you decide to work for Diamond Products?
Diamond Products is the #1 adult pleasure products manufacturer in the world, setting the standard for innovative and affordable pleasure products since 1973. No wonder I was keen on becoming part of the dream team and use my knowledge and experience to support such a cutting-edge, outstanding, successful, and visionary company. Nick is a great leader who’s turned a small company into an international enterprise and I’m very proud to be a part of his team.

The job description of Brand Ambassador covers a wide field. What exactly are your tasks in this new position?
As Brand Ambassador, I am here to support our distribution partners and customers, being the extended link between the great team in LA and the customers in Europe. I ensure that European customers have access to all of the resources and support that Diamond Products (Jimmyjane, Sir Richard’s, and Pipedream Products) provide.

Apart from offering the most diverse product portfolio in the industry—which meets a diverse array of consumer demand, always at fair prices—we have an incredible in-house multimedia and art department with state-of-the-art equipment. Our exceptional creative services team work very hard to develop the best packaging, advertising, and multi-media collateral so that our customers have the best support they could possibly get.

As Brand Ambassador for all of Europe, your new job encompasses many countries and cultures. Do you have to take into account each one individually and pursue different strategies, or is selling erotic products ultimately the same across Europe?
One big challenge in Europe is having an eye on it as a whole while also considering each country as a market itself. Due to the diversity of clients from Eastern to Western Europe, we must take into account local conditions and habits. Having 47 different countries with 24 different languages are only two examples. In fact, there are also various cultural differences to consider.

The differences range from consumer behaviour, product preferences, tastes (shape and colour), to established sales channels and marketing campaigns. Nevertheless, we follow a general strategy for Europe and adapt it to local needs and demands.

“One big challenge in Europe is having an eye on it as a whole while also considering each country as a market itself.”

You have been working at Fun Factory the last few years, a company that also has a very diverse product. How will the work at Diamond Products differ from your previous work?
One key success factor of Diamond Products is that we cover so many different segments within all the brands and products we offer. The vast range of Diamond Products’ portfolio brings a lot more variety to my work. It opens many doors and opportunities to more appropriately and successfully meet the exact needs of the customers and ensure customer satisfaction.

Within the portfolio, I have something for each customer and each price point. Even if the basic rules of strategy development, brand representation, and customer approach are the same, it is a huge benefit to have so much to work with.

Diamond Products combines Pipedream, Jimmyjane and Sir Richard’s – three different brands under one roof. Is it difficult reconciling these brands and their different images?
Pipedream itself is a powerhouse of many different brands and lines that create quality products at a great price. Jimmyjane and Sir Richard’s were added to the portfolio because they hit the women’s and men’s premium market sector for B2C brands. They bring added value, covering additional market segments, and addressing additional target groups.

We see all brands as complementary to each other and it is a benefit to our customers to have them all under one roof. While they may have different target audiences, we use the combined power of all three brands to address the market, so the requirements are quite similar.

In addition to your b2b work, you will also be responsible for b2c strategy development. How do these two areas differ from one another in your daily work?
Actually, both go hand in hand. Working on the B2C strategy also involves our B2B customers. Many of our European customers represent Diamond Products not only in their retail stores or on their websites, but also at local B2C trade fairs. We want to make sure that they get all the support they need to exhibit the brands as effectively as possible and create sustainable brand awareness, which will lead to increasing sales for everyone.

Have you already developed ideas and plans? How you want to advance the Diamond Products brand in the market?
Support, support, support… and support! There is no other way to add value to a brand. Business should always reach out for win-win situations. The more we support our distribution partners and customers today, the more they support our brands tomorrow.

“Support, support, support… and support! There is no other way to add value to a brand.”

What trends and developments will determine the future of the adult market in your opinion?
Back to basics and high-end. The past decade was a long, colourful journey of reinvention – we could almost say revolution – for this industry. Today, the market is completely saturated with many products that are similar to each other. Quality and uniqueness, just like Jimmyjane, will always be an attraction for consumers.

But now the consumers are focussing more on basic products again, which is one of the reasons why our King Cock series is so successful. It combines basic needs and new high-end materials. A lot of Pipedream’s new product releases are setting a new standard for quality. I think that is where the future is headed.

Can you give us a small outlook on what we can expect from the three Diamond Products brands in the near future?
Diamond Products sets standards for innovation. Our product development team is always ahead of the curve when it comes to new technologies and materials. We have just launched the ASCEND line by Jimmyjane, the COMMAND series by Sir Richard’s, and the PDX Elite series by Pipedream. I think Diamond Products will to continue to raise the bar. And just like every year, we will keep on surprising our customers with new exciting products and product lines.