Mates Condoms, the second biggest player in the UK condom market, is launching a new and innovative product family of condoms and gels in 2006, which is set to grow its share of this intimate category. The new Mates Intensify family will enjoy the biggest and most valuable launch in the brand's history, supported by a £1.5M fully integrated above and below the line campaign. Designed to take sexual relationships to the next level, the Mates Intensify range offers a choice of quality products that give maximum pleasure, aimed at the increasing number of people seeking sensual and enjoyable sex. It adds up to a new level of pleasure for the discerning consumer and thrilling profits for the retailer, as Mike Smith, Business Unit Manager at Mates, told The Grocery Trader.

The Grocery Trader - First of all, what products are in the Mates Intensify family?
There are three products - Mates Intensify Stimulating Gel in a 15ml pump bottle; Mates Intensify Vibrating Condom Ring, which includes a battery-operated vibrating ring and a Mates Sheer Pleasure Ultra Thin condom; and a Mates Intensify Stimulating Gel and Condoms pack, with 3 x 2ml Stimulating Gel sachets and 3 Mates Sheer Pleasure Ultra Thin condoms.

GT - What is the new stimulating gel made of?
The Stimulating Gel has two key ingredients - Menthol, providing a tingling sensation, and L-Arginine, which through gentle massage penetrates the skin, stimulating blood flow and enlarging the clitoris - giving females a more intense orgasm. L-Arginine makes this product unique, and is proprietary to Mates in the UK. It is also the first time that such a product has been available in the mass market in the UK, making this a very exciting launch for Mates and retailers alike.

GT - The Intensify gel comes in sachets and a pump bottle. Is there a recommended amount for a single use?
The bottle contains 15ml, enough for up to 75 applications. It's important to point out that this isn't a lubricant, it's a gel that stimulates the female partner to orgasm, so you only need a very small quantity for it to work.

GT - If the condoms are Ultra Thin, how do you know they won't break?
All Mates condoms are 100% electronically tested and certified with the BSI Kitemark, offering all of our consumers total peace of mind when using the products correctly.

GT - The new vibrating condom ring - how does it work?
The Vibrating ring has a stimulating barrel with raised dots and bumps providing vibrating sensations for both partners. The Mates Intensify Vibrating Ring is battery operated and is guaranteed to give you at least 20 minutes of stimulating pleasure.

GT - How does it differ to rival 'ring' brands?
The Mates ring has more bumps and stimulation points on the barrel, providing maximum stimulation for the female partner. It also has a unique bevelled edge, which helps to keep the ring secure during sex, and the battery lasts for at least 20 minutes.

GT - What will all these products cost at retail, and when will they be on sale?
The Vibrating Condom Ring will retail at £4.99 (or 25p per minute of pleasure), the Stimulating Gel 15ml bottle £12.99 (or 17p per orgasm) and the Gel Sachets and Condoms pack at £6.99. The new Mates Intensify range is available from January 2006.

GT - How will you get around store staff being embarrassed to sell these products - or people being embarrassed to ask for them?
These products are designed for sale in the sexual well-being category.
We'll be covering any possible embarrassment in various ways, starting with an extensive through the line communications campaign including advertising, PR and In-Store activity, so consumers know what they're looking for at the point of purchase. We have also taken into consideration the look and feel of the packaging, ensuring the design both stands out on shelf yet is discreet at the same time. We also know that consumers want these products. Research shows that consumers want more than protection, they want pleasure and an enhanced sexual experience that satisfies both partners. These products deliver that. They will fit well within any retailer and will actively compliment their existing range.

GT - What about the rings?
We've thoroughly researched consumer response to the rings. Only 13% of the target market of consumers said they would be too embarrassed to buy them, which means 87% would not be.

GT - Will you be advertising these products on TV?
We're spending £1.5 million through a nationwide multi-media platform that will cover print, online, radio and outdoor, because we know that our audience are heavy consumers of many different types of media and we need to ensure we reach them all. Research tells us that TV is not the right medium for this product category.

GT - When does the advertising break?
The campaign will launch in January with the full ad campaign being rolled out from February 2006.

GT - Any plans for sponsorship?
We're not looking at sponsorship for the moment. It's important always to be open to opportunities, but it's a matter of finding the right one.

GT - What will you be doing in terms of promotions and giveaways?
As part of the PR activity, our 'Turn On Team' will be linking up with a bar chain and distributing samples to target our key audience in 7 key cities in mainland UK. We'll also be utilising in-store promotions and trial mechanics, perhaps linked to other Mates products.

GT - How big is the condoms, lubricants and rings market in the UK grocery sector? Is it growing?
It's worth £47 million in overall retail, and is more or less static. It badly needs an injection of innovation and excitement, which is where the Mates Intensify range comes in. The key point is that Intensify Gel isn't another condom! It opens the market to non-condom users, which is a big plus and therefore does not cannibalise on condom or lubricant sales. We're going to attract growth from these new consumers and also from condom users wanting extra pleasure in their sex lives.

GT - Do you have to offer different products for heterosexual and gay groups?
There are different condoms available for different needs, but in this instance the products we're offering are basically for men or women. They're unisex - we're keeping the target audience broad and the proposition open to anybody and everybody who enjoys great, safe sex. The Stimulating Gel is specifically for women, but their partners will definitely benefit. Research clearly shows that the vibrating ring is definitely for males (gay and hetero males) as well as for females.

GT - How big is the Mates brand in the UK?
Mates has a 16% share of the condoms market in the UK.

GT - Who owns it?
The Mates brand is owned by Ansell Ltd, an Australian company that is the leading global player in protective barrier solutions.

GT - When was Mates launched?
Mates was launched in 1987 by Virgin; the brand values that were so strong then still hold true today. Ansell acquired the brand from Richard Branson one year later in 1988.

GT - The consumer research for these products must be fascinating - how do you arrive at statistics for e.g. "female users experiencing more intense orgasms"?
We carried out extensive research, focusing on the response and benefits of customers to the Intensify range. The results were extremely positive for both the ring and the gel, from both a male and female perspective.

GT - Is the UK grocery sector ready for such products?
Yes, definitely! We're expanding the category in a positive way. There's only room for a certain amount of condoms on the fixture, without proliferation. If stores can get condom users and non-condom users alike buying pleasure products, that's good news for the consumer and adds value for the retailer.

GT - Where should these products be merchandised in a supermarket?
Sexual enjoyment products should be merchandised in the condom and family planning area, in the natural traffic flow. But it's important for retailers and their staff to appreciate that this launch isn't just about condoms, it's about Sexual Well-Being overall.

GT - Is the Intensify range on sale in any other countries, and how are they doing there?
The gel is being launched globally as we speak. The ring was launched in Australia 12 months ago, and far exceeded initial target sales of almost 750 thousand units in the first year.

GT - What other Mates products are there currently on the market?
Our products fall into four segments - Core, Youth, Pleasure and Intensify.
The Core range includes Natural - for extra comfort, Ultra Safe - for extra reassurance, Variety - offering consumers a great selection of our best selling condoms and Flavours (Strawberry, Vanilla, chocolate, Blueberry, Banana and Mint).
The Youth range - Xplore, is designed for younger consumers, providing an easy-fit solution. The packaging and pricing of the Xplore packs also aim to take the stigma out of using condoms.
The Pleasure range is a premium offering, and includes Sheer Pleasure Ultra Thin - condoms so thin it's like wearing nothing at all!, Xtra Pleasure - providing stimulation to both partners and Ultimate Pleasure - the ultimate selection of Mates Pleasure condoms.

GT - So where does Intensify fit in?
Intensify is our fourth and our newest product group, and takes us beyond condoms into overall Sexual Well-Being. The range is a step beyond Pleasure by offering products that will enhance the sexual experience for both partners.

GT - How will the arrival of these new products affect your other ones?
The Intensify range will compliment the existing Mates range and is aimed at both condom and non-condom users alike, therefore adding value to the category and increasing choice to the consumer.

GT - On a social responsibility level, is Mates involved in supporting research into STDs, HIV/AIDS awareness work and so on?
As with all condom brands, we support such activity. We work as a collective industry with independent research bodies, HIV/AIDS charities and health authorities, and as a company we provide cost-effective products to the NHS and other organisations.

GT - What about 'fun' sites?
The new Intensify web site will include a massive survey, tapping into consumers' ideas about sex and what turns them on. It'll be fun but it will also give us insights to develop further products. We've always listened actively to the market and created products to meet our consumers' needs.

GT - This range is being launched in grocery - any plans for launches in pharmacy, vending, travel and so on?
We're looking to make these products as available as possible, which includes selling them in multiple and independent pharmacies and elsewhere, in a staged rollout from the first quarter of 2006. We aim to recruit users to Intensify from all relevant channels.

GT - Finally, where do you see this initiative taking the Mates brand?
Intensify will enable us to further grow the Mates proposition in the Sexual Well-Being category. In grocery our share of sales is already ahead of the market, so the multiple grocery traders are the ideal place to start!

Mates contact number and main web address
Telephone: 01564 711806
Web: www.matesintensify.co.uk