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Womanizer introduces world’s first shower head sex toy

Womanizer Wave, UK

Germany – Sex toy specialist Womanizer has joined forces with premium bathroom and kitchen accessories manufacturer Hansgrohe to create Womanizer Wave, the world’s first shower head sex toy. With research from a 2019 study by QS Supplies showing that 28% of women masturbate in the shower, it seemed appropriate for Womanizer to create a shower device designed for pleasure. Retailing online for £99.99 ($125, €116) from the firm’s parent company Lovehoney, the sex toy embodies a new kind of Neo-collectivism where businesses combine their design know-how.

Both companies conducted nine research projects, 60 interviews and analysed 4,000 responses to questionnaires over three years while testing more than 100 samples in the process. The challenge was to create pressure modes to maximise the user’s pleasure (PleasureJet and PleasureWhirl) while being a regular shower head for normal showers (PowderRain). Eco-conscious consumers will appreciate that the device features EcoSmart technology that offers a 60% reduction in water consumption compared to traditional shower heads, without compromising on comfort.

In Sensory Sex Toys, we previously analysed how the world of phallic sex toys is ripe for disruption as sexual pleasure focuses on the user’s senses.

Strategic opportunity

As younger consumers lift taboos on women’s masturbation, consider how designing for pleasure could boost the wellness market. Design innovators should merge their sector expertise with new kinds of devices and services dedicated to masturbation

The Luminaire launches a Queer Florence educational trip for Pride month

The Luminaire, Italy

Italy – The naked male body is the subject of a fair amount of Renaissance art, yet classical art has been occulting queer narratives. Launching for Pride month, a historic trip traces back LQBTQ+ influences in Italy.

The Luminaire, a premium travel company offering expert-curated educational excursions, is behind this innovative trip unmasking queer stories of Renaissance Florence. Crafted with the help of art historians, the journey retraces a well-known period of history, looking at it through an LGBTQ+ lens. Participants can tailor their schedule and choose to rediscover world-famous masterpieces and galleries of their liking over three days. Guests can attend a banquet and a masquerade ball in the Palazzo Gondi to finish the trip, which costs from £6,250 ($7,860, €7,300) per person.

‘Exploring the sexual freedom of Renaissance Florence through the eyes of some of her most famous citizens offers a fresh look at an old city and an unexpected connection with the past,’ says Dr Kevin Childs, the art historian who leads the trip and curated the itinerary exploring the question of marginalised identities throughout time.

Strategic opportunity

People are expressing interest in decolonising the arts and seeking experiences that paint the full picture. The Luminaire proves how contemporary brands can do their bit and honour long silenced and undermined voices in history

Dutch start-up plans European intercity air service for 2027

Neiman Marcus recently launched its Re-introduce Yourself campaign to illustrate how the brand had evolved in the previous year in response to global changes, US

The Netherlands – Dutch aviation start-up Electron Aviation has partnered with Twente Airport on plans to launch a zero-emissions short-haul flight service by 2027.

The service aims to provide a quick and eco-friendly alternative for small groups of luxury passengers to travel within a 500km radius in Europe. This includes major cities such as Berlin, London and Paris.

The start-up's Electron5 plane, now in the prototype phase, will accommodate up to four passengers and is designed to take off from regular airports with a runway length of just 800m. It is expected to be able to fly at about 300km per hour and cover a maximum range of 750km on a single charge, enabling efficient short-haul flights.

Electron Aviation is part of the Electric Flying Connection (EFC), a Dutch consortium of companies that recently submitted a funding application to the Dutch Growth Fund to scale battery-electric flying in the country.

The increasing focus on sustainability among travel consumers is causing travel brands to become more malleable and driving the retail and leisure industry in more spontaneous directions. Head to our Mobility series for more eco-friendly solutions and innovations.

Strategic opportunity

Embrace sustainability as inspiration, not limitation. The travel industry should consider how to market smaller, shorter, eco-friendly flights as intimate and hyper-personalised experiences

Stat: Rising number of US consumers turn to non-alcoholic drinks

Photography by Polina Tankilevitch

US – New research released in June 2023 by Mintel reveals that American consumers are increasingly interested in reducing their alcohol consumption. Some 22% of US consumers closely follow a sober-curious lifestyle, while 16% say they do so occasionally. The top reasons Americans say they follow or would follow a sober-curious lifestyle are for physical health (39%), to save money (35%), to make alcohol an occasional indulgence (35%) and for mental health (29%).

‘Our data shows that most sober-curious consumers are primarily interested in turning alcohol into an occasional indulgence,’ says Caleb Bryant, associate director of food and drink at Mintel Reports US. ‘While some alcohol brands may face sales declines stemming from the sober-curious movement, premium alcoholic beverage options may see sales increase as sober-curious consumers treat themselves to high-quality drinks that allow them to achieve their health and wellness goals.’

In Total Tastes, we previously analysed how a rise in interest in non-alcoholic beverages is part of a broader movement in which the intersection between mind and body is driving new approaches to our diets.

Strategic opportunity

Players in the hospitality industry should question their no- and low-alcohol drink offers to respond to growing demand. The price point should also be adjusted, as 73% of consumers believe alcohol substitute drinks should be cheaper than alcoholic drinks, according to Mintel