The ‘O’ Awards Presented on Opening Night of AEE

LAS VEGAS—Adult novelty professionals gathered on Wednesday night for the “O” Awards, which recognized outstanding excellence and innovation in the pleasure product sector. As part of the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE), many vendors attending the ceremony arrived directly from a crowded day on the Adult Novelty Expo (ANE) show floor, where they displayed the latest in sex toys and intimacy products for interested attendees. Platters of chicken satay skewers, mac and cheese bites, and spring rolls circulated to guests at the bar and tables of the Skybox venue, as they eased into the early evening event. Co-hosted by novelty industry veteran and AVN reporter Kim Airs and adult star Reese Rideout, the pair bantered light-heartedly back and forth, improvising throughout the fast-moving presentation. Rideout, on Monday night, had received his first GayVN Award for Best Bi Sex Scene. Airs, at one point, invited audience members to open mystery envelopes at their tables that contained fun prizes, with a few that also contained remote controls. A couple of the remotes, she revealed, would trigger the vibrator she was wearing—presumably under her silver-sequined dress. Audience members clicked on the remotes and hilarity ensued as Airs vocalized her reactions to random vibrations. Powered up remote and app-based products represented a leading trend at the show, where interactivity and connectivity were the buzz at the booths. Companies with award-winning powered products included Honey Play Box, who won Outstanding Stroker—Powered for its Adrian design; NS Novelties, who took home the trophy for Outstanding App-Controlled Product (Inya Grinder); and legacy manufacturer CalExotics won for Outstanding Remote-Controlled Product (Dual Rider Remote Controlled Grinder). Euro-based sex tech manufacturer Kiiroo was awarded Outstanding Powered Product for its Spot. Motorbunny, who introduced its new app-based Fluffer controller at ANE, took home Outstanding Accessory Product or Line for its Cruiser Bag, a wheeled case for storing and transporting its vibrating rideable Motorbunny unit and assorted attachable accessories, which can be activated remotely with the Fluffer app and controller. In addition to the ‘O’ Awards, winners of AVN Awards in the pleasure products and retail categories were presented at the event, in advance of Saturday night’s AVN Awards Show. Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer in the small, medium, and large categories went to Our Erotic Journey, Aneros, and Fleshlight, respectively. Best Retail Chain small, medium, and large trophies were taken home by Cupid’s Closet, Cupid’s Lingerie, and Lion’s Den, respectively. Best Web Retail Store went to AdultEmpire.com. In product categories, Best Lubricant went to Sliquid, while Kanha Sutra took home the trophy for Best Enhancement. Cal-Exotics took the trophy for Best Apparel/Lingerie for its Radiance line, and Best Fetish Manufacturer went to Liberator. This year’s “O” Awards also included five industry-voted categories, which were presented by former “O” Award organizer Sherri Shaulis, who currently is catalog manager at Innov8 Solutions Inc. “It was a wonderful feeling of ‘coming home’ in a sense,” Shaulis said. “To be able to once again be on the stage for the 'O' Awards after creating them so many years ago with Tony Lovett, and being able to present awards that were voted on by people in the industry was a trip. To know that people in this industry care enough about their competitors as friends is what makes this industry a real family.” Industry members were recognized by their peers in three categories, including Holiday Products’ Molly Romeo, who took home Outstanding Marketing Maven; Sportsheets’ Rin Musick, who won Outstanding Road Warrior; and XR Brands’ Josh Ortiz, who was named Outstanding Sexual Wellness Advocate. XR Brands was the night’s big winner, with two product category trophies in addition to Ortiz’s win, including Outstanding Anal Product (Spitting Serpent Silicone Enema Snake) and Outstanding Gender Inclusive Product (Unicorn Strap-On). “It’s amazing. We love and support AVN so much. Thank you to Tony and Beth and Kim, and the whole team. Thanks for the appreciation, and congratulations to the whole XR Team,” said Rebecca Weinberg, president of XR Brands. Weinberg added that opening day of the expo had run smoothly. “Very busy show this year, so it’s been good,” she said. Find a complete list of 2025 ‘O’ Award winners here.