Home Archive And the StorErotica winners were…

And the StorErotica winners were…

Doc Johnson’s Ron Braverman inducted into StorErotica Hall of Fame

US trade magazine StorErotica presented its 10th annual awards at July’s ANME show. There were 20 categories in total, seven of which were new for 2016. “This year the 10th Annual StorErotica Awards delivered in style and spectacle,” said the publication’s PR manager, Kristofer Kay. “Not only was it our largest ever celebration, but it felt like the culmination of everything the magazine set out to accomplish a decade ago. With a capacity attendee turnout, a delicious dinner buffet, Kelly Shibari once again proving she’s the best hostess we’ve ever had, and a terrific venue, we will look back on this night fondly for quite a while.”

Pleasure Product Company of the Year was won by Pipedream Products, whose chairman and CEO Nick Orlandino said: “We’re thrilled with this win. I want to thank Kris and StorErotica, all of our retailer partners and the dream team for making Pipedream the most decorated manufacturer in the industry. Recognition like this only makes us work harder to keep innovating and delivering our customers the best-selling brands in the world.”

Retailer Favorite of the Year award was won by CalExotics and founder and CEO Susan Colvin said: “Retailer Favorite was the most prestigious award of the night. Retailers are the backbone of our business and are on the front line with consumers. It is an extreme honour to be the first to receive this prestigious award.” Jackie White, executive vice president of CalExotics, added: “Retailers are essential to our business. They assist with product selection and help promote and educate the end consumer. They are brand advocates and the more we can support them the stronger our brand will be.”

The New Product of the Year award was given to the Womanizer Pro W-500, and Ryan Poirier, vice president of epi24 USA, said: “We are excited to come right out of the gate and win an award for the Womanizer Deluxe (W500) massager. A big thank you to StorErotica, ANME and every woman who has bought and supported this amazing invention.”

The Fetish Company of the Year award was won by XR Brands and the company’s director of sales and marketing, Rebecca Weinberg, said: “Many of our staff live the scene and use the gear we design, develop, and manufacture, which means we genuinely understand the needs and desires of the community. Rather than guess or pick-and-choose which products we should make, XR Brands utilises feedback and special requests from our vast customer and fan base. XR Brands prides itself on helping retailers keep up with consumer demand with eye-catching and competitively priced fetish tools and accessories, and we are honoured to have our hard work recognised by this important award.”

Lovehoney won BDSM Product of the Year for its Fifty Shades of Grey Keep Still Over the Bed Cross Restraint, and Kate Hodgson-Egan, the firm’s new international sales manager for the US and UK, said: “What a great way to end the show. We’re delighted.”

The Foreign Manufacturer of the Year award was won by Shots Media and the company said: “To be nominated for this award was already amazing but we never dared to dream of winning it. Our loyal customers, fans and friends proved their love for our products and we have to thank them for this milestone from the bottom of our hearts.”

Sexual Enhancement Company of the Year was won by Screaming O, for its Dynamo Delay Spray, and Screaming O account executive Conde Aumann said: “The Screaming O team set out to innovate and breathe life into the male genital desensitiser category and created Dynamo Delay to bring a smart alternative to market. It’s an honour to have been recognised for our hard work and success with Dynamo Delay, and we’d like to thank StorErotica and everyone who voted for us in this important awards category.”

Marketing Campaign of the Year was won by Lelo for Beyond the Wave and Lelo CMO Steve Thomson said: “We’re very happy to have Beyond the Wave recognised by our peers and industry luminaries at the StorErotica Awards gala. The campaign was a large global one, far bigger than any standard sex toy campaign, and the content that we created appeared at a number of prestigious film festivals. It was a really unique way to bring our brand to new audiences not familiar with us and spread a positive message about intimacy. It’s really special to have that daring approach to what we do rewarded.”

Kheper Games was named Adult Game/Gag Gift Manufacturer of the Year and CEO Brian Pellham said: “Thank you to StorErotica for honouring us with an award.  It was a wonderful surprise and we are very honoured that our industry chose to recognise us.”

The New Product of the Year (International) award was won by Joydivision for its Xpander and president and CEO Oliver Redschlag said: “We are thrilled to receive this award for Xpander. To have our industry peers recognise the technological advancements in our newest prostate stimulator is a great honour. We greatly appreciate this wonderful recognition – this is our fourth award for Xpander – and it confirms our successful international presence and dedication to creating innovative offerings for the pleasure products industry.”

Ron Braverman, founder and president of Doc Johnson, was inducted into the publication’s Hall of Fame and accepting his award he said: “Over the last 40 years I have had the good fortune to work with some of the best the industry has ever seen. It has been one of the great joys of my life to wake up every day and go to work.” Braverman acknowledged son Chad, Doc Johnson’s COO/chief creative officer, and daughter Erica, who works as the company’s marketing coordinator [all pictured above]. “To see my children there, to see how they have matured and stepped into their respective roles at the company, all I can tell you is that that is what true success feels like.”

Other winners included: Adam and Eve (Retailer of the Year); Eldorado (Distributor of the Year); Kama Sutra Massage Body Lotion (Body Care Line/Range of the Year); Chi Chi LaRue’s of West Hollywood (Independent Retailer of the Year); OhMiBod (Luxury Line/Range of the Year); PHS International (LGBT Company of the Year); Sportsheets’ Everlaster Series (Male Pleasure Product of the Year); Swiss Navy (Lubricant Company of the Year and Brand Ambassador of the Year for Margaux O’Donoghue); and Vibratex (Boutique Brand of the Year).