“The offer increase day a day but customers are more selective now.”

Fleshlight has once again achieved growth in 2019, and Laura Cosano, the company’s Marketing Director, tells us how the team managed this feat – and how they intend to keep their impressive winning streak going in 2020. Which is also the year when Fleshlight will celebrate their 10-year anniversary in the European market.

How satisfied is Fleshlight with the year 2019?
Laura Cosano: 2019 has been a quite busy year.We have implemented many changes in our company. First of all, Miguel Capilla has taken on the new role of Global Sales Director, travelling around the world and working closer with our USA team. That has been a challenge, but the effort is of great value. He’s doing a great job, and the European sales team is working really well with new members as Alfonso Cala and Rocío Olivera, so we are reaching results.

Are you happy with the developments in the product category Male Toys? Is it still a growth engine for our industry?
Absolutely, we keep growing despite of the competitors and counterfeiters that are trying to destroy our business.

As number of products for men is growing, some stark talking of an over-flooded market. Others criticise that something ground-breaking is missing in this category. Do you agree with these statements?
The offer increases day by day but customers are more selective now, they don’t think just in prices. They look for quality and guarantees. However, a little self-criticism is in order, I think. We need to invest in product development. I don’t think that everything is already done when it comes to male masturbators. On that note, technology has to be added in male products but also, we need to offer alternatives, meaning more sustainable and eco-friendly products.

“I don’t think that everything is already done when it comes to male masturbators.”

There were some changes at Fleshlight in the spring of 2019 – for example, in the Sales Department – which were linked to certain goals. Did you achieve these goals?
Yes, we are so proud of the work of all the Fleshlight employees; everyone has made a big effort this year. We have been compensated with the Brand of the Year award at eroFame and also with the nomination of Miguel Capilla for Senior Leadership at the 2020 Xbiz Exec Awards. We beat records last Black Friday in our retail network, and we’ve been reaching one million euros in wholesale almost every month.

And purely in terms of products, what were your highlights in 2019?
We totally needed more diversity in our masturbators, and we stepped up to this challenge. We’ve launched some products with very good results, for example Janice Griffith has become the third bestselling Fleshlight Girl in all the years. But also, the new dark-flesh Fleshlights like Ana Foxx or Milan Christhoper have achieved very good results. Other surprises have been the Fleshlight Guys, the dildos replicas of straight actors ‘have taken flight’ literally.  As for the Fleshskins, we need to listen to what our customers say to improve it, because is a really good product and we expected more of it.

Now for the new year: What are your ideas, plans and goals for 2020?
We have many surprises for this year. In 2020, Fleshlight will celebrate 10 years in Europe. It’s a great number to celebrate so we’re planning many things, as much for products as for our customers. You’ll know more very soon…

What innovations can the market expect in 2020? Can you give us a foretaste?
We want to keep opening new markets. We are now present in South Korea with the Cosmos company, but we want to be present in more Asian countries as well as South America and India.  And of course, as every year, we’ll work hard to increase our sales in the European market.

Will Fleshlight remain true to its current sales structure and continue to collaborate with distributors and wholesalers?
Absolutely, we want to help our customers more than ever. We’re working on a new sample plan and corner plan for retail stores and will offer new promotions for online wholesalers. Everyone knows that Fleshlight is always open to new ideas and to working closely to offer the best results.

Does Fleshlight expect any major changes in our industry in the near future? If so, what could they look like?
As I said before, I think climate change will be an important thing for our industry. We need to be aware of that and have to create products that won’t damage our planet.