CatalystCon's Kicks Off 6th YearWith Pleasure Products Symposium

LOS ANGELES—CatalystCon kicked off it’s three-day run Friday, featuring a number of new and popular returning events. Among the popular events brought back was the Pleasure Products Symposium. The day-long event featured a conversation between sex therapists and sex educators, retailers and manufacturers, discussing various ways each group can help another. Broken down into three parts, the event was moderated by Wicked Pictures contract performer, sex educator and activist Jessica Drake; Alicia Sinclair, founder and head of b-Vibe and Le Wand; and Good Vibrations’ Executive Vice President Jackie Radnour-Bruckman. Drake opened the discussion by asking those in the room to talk about how they’ve seen the pleasure products industry change through the years—responses included noticing the shift of more women working in adult retail as well as behind the scenes forming and running companies, better materials and ingredients being used and more information available to customers were some of the answers—before segueing into how to build a brand and a reputation. Drake and attendees then discussed how to use education as the manufacturing and retailing levels. Manufacturers need to utilize their packaging and marketing possibilities in retail stores to cement their brand with sales clerks and consumers, as well as use their inner packaging, like manuals, to strengthen their relationship with customers. The goal, she said, is to create an experience for end users that will create loyalty as well as give permission for users to enjoy the product. Sinclair lead the conversation to discuss responsible manufacturing. Some keys, she noted, are using feedback from consumers to affect the development and betterment of products, as well as using non-gendered packaging so more consumers feel comfortable using products. For her companies, she said, they ensure products are certified body safe; and suggested at a minimum manufacturers can comply with California Prop 65 standards, which means products do not knowingly contain ingredients or materials hat cause cancer. Radnour-Bruckman ended the session by talking about the history of Good Vibrations and how the shop has changed and adapted through the years based on customer base changing, better products available and changing social mores.  CatalystCon continues through Sunday at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel in Los Angeles. CatalystCon is a three-day conference that brings together speakers and attendees to address topics such as feminist porn, sex education, body image and sexuality, sex work, and political organizing in the sex positive community. For more information, visit CalatystCon.com.