Scala have developed a new packaging design for the TOYJOY Drugstore items

Sometimes, little things can make a big difference. In the case of erotic products, that goes for lubricants, toy cleaners, and massage oils, or in short: drugstore items. They improve the intimate experience, help consumers get more fun out of their sex toys, and are accessible to a wide audience. So it’s no wonder that these products are particularly suitable for cross-selling. Scala Playhouse realised that early on and began launching drugstore items in their TOYJOY range. With the new TOYJOY Drugstore collection making waves, we asked Sabine Kirchner to tell us more about the potential these products hold for the trade.

At the recent Scala Fair, you presented a new TOYJOY line which belongs in the drugstore category. Can you tell us more about the products you presented?
Sabine Kirchner: TOYJOY Drugstore is the latest TOYJOY line extension, but it should be viewed as an upgrade to every TOYJOY purchase. Meaning, if your consumers are shopping for a TOYJOY vibe, stimulator or other adult novelty, the TOYJOY Drugstore items are a perfect cross-sale product to make their intimate pleasure go even smoother! The TOYJOY Drugstore range consists of the following items: massage oil, warming massage oil, silicone-based lubricant, water-based lubricant (in a 30ml, 100ml and 200ml packaging), an anal lubricant, and a warming lubricant.

When did you first add drugstore products to the TOYJOY line, and why did you decide to introduce lubes, massage oils, toy cleaners, etc. to that line which was only made up of sex toys back then?
The first TOYJOY products were launched in March 2005, during our in-house Scala Fair. Right from the start, we knew we wanted TOYJOY to become more than just a brand of adult novelties. We aimed to make it an experience, a brand that catered to every taste and every preference. Erotic drugstore products can add that little bit extra to your intimate experience, paired with – or without – a toy; things just go that little bit smoother when you’ve got a great lube lying around. This is why two years after the launch, around 2007, we introduced the very first drugstore items to the line. At that time, lubricants had quite a high price-point in the market. There weren’t a lot of brands offering lubricants and other erotic drugstore items at a reasonable, affordable price. We decided we needed to create a basic collection of drugstore products that would be accessible to everyone. TOYJOY Drugstore became an instant success due to the extremely attractive pricing combined with great quality and packaging. We hadn’t expected it to be such a success, but it turned out the response from our customers was overwhelming. They loved it! We then knew TOYJOY Drugstore would always be part of the TOYJOY brand; however, it wasn’t that easy. We certainly had to face some challenges along the way… It took us a while to find the right supplier that matched our high expectations. At Scala Playhouse we always strive for the best products possible, which is why we tried several suppliers before finding our perfect match. We are very excited to re-launch our TOYJOY Drugstore range in new, trendy, and contemporary packaging.
We’ve already launched a limited-edition TOYJOY Designer Edition lubricant; a sleek, black and gold bottle that perfectly matches the aesthetics of this TOYJOY range. However, we wanted to take it further and create a separate, stand-alone drugstore collection that would match the entire TOYJOY assortment, making it the perfect cross-sale option for our customers. We are confident that retailers will be able to cross-sell the TOYJOY Drugstore products like hot buns; these amazing items are simply a must-have addition to any erotic novelty!
The new TOYJOY Drugstore range will offer the consumers everything they need to make their sexual adventures go a bit more smoothly. Whether they want to add a bit of heat with the new TOYJOY Warming Lube or whether they want extra glide for back door fun with the Anal Lubricant. The range also includes a great basic water-based lubricant; this product has an incredible, long-lasting glide effect that lube lovers will adore! And for consumers who crave even more smoothness, the TOYJOY Silicone Lube is the way to go.

The TOYJOY brand is known for their playful packaging – the unique milk carton packaging is a good example of that. How difficult was it to develop lubes, massage-oils, toy cleaner etc. that fit the brand image of TOYJOY?
Based on our experiences in the past, we had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted TOYJOY Drugstore to be. It needed to be appealing to both men and women, meaning we wanted to create a full range of products for unisex-use. It also meant the packaging needed to be neutral, yet still reflect the TOYJOY image. After a bit of experimenting with our artwork department, we settled on a sleek design, with white tubes and containers with tinted circles to emphasise its drugstore nature. For example: Our water-based lube features blue circles, while the warming lubricant has red circles, etc. This type of colour-use also matches brilliantly with the TOYJOY Classics range milk-carton packaging, as the colour-schemes are similar and the brand images also feature coloured circles.
The entire collection is instantly recognisable and we are confident it’s going to be a smashing success.

Which features of these innovations are particularly noteworthy?
As the TOYJOY Drugstore collection is more about essentials than innovation, a particularly noteworthy feature about the range is the amazing cross-selling opportunity it represents. We wanted a line of pure, quality drugstore items that can be used in combination with any TOYJOY product. The fact that this unisex-line is packaged in a neutral, contemporary way and has an amazing affordable price, makes it the ultimate ‘upgrade’ to any purchase made by your end-consumers.

What can you tell us about the ingredients?
All the products are made of premium, body-safe materials. We aimed to create a line that can be used by all lovers; so there aren’t any ingredients specifically devised to suit the male of female anatomy. All the products contain substances which are safe to enjoy by all! Even our toy cleaner is organic and alcohol-free; making it a responsible choice to guarantee the best possible toy hygiene.

Can retailers get new POS materials for this line?
For the moment, we are mainly focussed on creating online POS materials matching the TOYJOY Drugstore collection such as photos and banners. We also offer the option of custom-made banners, allowing you to create a full online-brand experience for your consumers. For more information about the POS options, retailers can contact their Scala Playhouse account manager.

What advice can you give about ways to market the new line?
TOYJOY Drugstore is the perfect cross-sell range of erotic wellness products: combining quality, affordability, and fun! These playful pleasure essentials are must-haves for every consumer who enters your store, both online and offline.

Do you have ideas for further expanding the TOYJOY brand into other product areas? Would a TOYJOY lingerie line be conceivable, for instance?
For the time being, we are focussing mainly on new TOYJOY products and ranges such as the recently introduced LUZ by TOYJOY and The Rabbits by TOYJOY. We’ve also added must-have items to our TOYJOY Classics range, such as our Bob the Blower inflatable dong and the compact Travel G-Sense and Travel C-Sense stimulators. However, we certainly won’t rule out the possibility of venturing into new territory with the TOYJOY brand one day. The sky is the limit, and we like to keep all our options open. We already have TOYJOY beach balls, TOYJOY sunglasses, and TOYJOY ice-cream scoops, although these items are only available as limited POS promotion materials. But if the consumers start asking for more TOYJOY, who knows, we might start our own line of sassy TOYJOY lingerie or TOYJOY luggage to take your favourite vibes with you wherever you go. TOYJOY is all about fun, and we plan to keep spreading the TOYJOY fun with more collections and products for years to come!