Laid Teams With STEME360 Brand Management in U.S.

OSLO—Norwegian design-forward pleasure product manufacturer Laid has elected STEME360 to support promotion of the brand in the United States and provide hands-on product education and representation to retailers, distributors, bloggers and more. The Laid lineup of vibrators, cock rings and unique dildos has made an impression in the sex-positive product category—including an "O" Award win at the 2014 AVN Novelty Show. And with a range of new SKUs coming in the fall, the design duo behind Laid—Line Andersen and Karianne Ellekrans—decided it was time to enlist STEME360 to get the word out. Andersen and Ellekrans have created products with distinct purposes in mind and with unique shapes to suit those ideas. After several coveted mainstream design awards in Europe, Laid launched the C.1 clitoral vibrator, which named Outstanding Product for Women by AVN Media Network at the aforementioned "O" Awards. Since then, Laid has released a series of form-focused intimate tools, including the asymmetrically shaped D.1 dildo and P series of cock rings. “We’re on the cusp of an incredible new launch and following the wonderful success of our current line, it’s time to secure our stance in the U.S. with steady representation,” Ellekrans said. “Working with STEME360 is the first step in ramping up our presence in American retail and we’re excited to work with a team of people whom we consider friends just as much as colleagues.” STEME360’s Amy Baldwin will be Laid’s domestic point of contact for product samples, testers and information and will helm the brand’s expansion throughout the U.S. The team will manage brand recognition and exposure via sales training, education and B2B marketing and provide a pleasant introduction to the Laid lifestyle. “Laid is a design-centric brand with some amazing ladies heading the company, and we’ve been behind them since their start,” Baldwin said. “Our philosophies align quite artfully and there is incredible mutual respect for what both companies are working to accomplish. We’ll focus on building Laid’s reputation through strategic communication, as increased sales often come from people enjoying and understanding the story behind the brand and its product designs.” Laid co-founder Andersen started her pleasure product design career in 2007 as part of her master’s project in industrial design at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, where she created a sex toy set for couples. Andersen quickly teamed with Ellekrans—her friend, research assistant and now business partner—to create a brand dedicated to bringing her unique intimate designs to life under the Laid moniker. Now after cultivating their knowledge and understanding of sex toys and adult retail, the two women believe they are making modern pleasure products that will change the way men and women have sex. “We find that most international brands need a solid grasp of the U.S. channels and establish key relationships in order to ensure success, and STEME360 already has these ties in place,” Baldwin said. “We travel all over the country on behalf of boutique brands like Laid so they can focus on the core components of their companies—creative product development, superior quality and attention to intricate detail.” Laid products currently are available in the U.S. via Entrenue and Eldorado Trading Company. For U.S.-based product inquiries, contact Baldwin at amy.b@steme.biz. For more information about Laid, visit Laid.com.