Founders and Current Leadership
Doc Johnson launched from North Hollywood, California under founder and President Ron Braverman. But Reuben Sturman of Cleveland, Ohio injected startup cash as another investment in his portfolio that included mainstream magazine wholesaling and pornography distribution. Sturman was called a marketing genius and tough entrepreneur by those who knew him.
Braverman first bought a rubber goods company that he transformed into the manufacturer of wholesale sex toys with Sturman's help. Forty years later, Braverman is still at the helm, with his son Chad Braverman as Chief Operating Officer. The company continues to produce more than 2,000 products, with 75 percent of these produced in California. They employ a workforce of more than 500 employees who produce, package and ship about 75,000 orders per week in over 250,000 square feet of facilities.
Reuben Sturman, once called the richest person in Ohio by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, passed away in 1997. He left behind well over 200 businesses in multiple industries, including adult books, magazines, stores, movies and distribution entities. Today, the Braverman family maintains ownership of this major player in the $15 billion adult toys industry.
Innovation Leads the Way in the Wholesale Sex Toys Industry
Innovation has long been the key to Doc Johnson's success. The wholesale sex toys industry is a field of many players today, so it is vision and ability to create the next big thing that keeps the brand fresh. Chad Braverman claimed in 2012 that the company is still heavily focused on market leadership and innovation, with something akin to the "iPhone of the industry" in the works.
Some of Doc Johnson's best selling products include the Pocket Rocket, a line of discreetly-sized external-use vibrators for women. Rabbit vibrators took over the industry next. They gained popularity throughout television culture and other mainstream media, much thanks to the vibrator's mention on HBO's Sex & the City, in an episode called "The Turtle and the Hare." This premium channel episode is also credited with bringing vibrator use to the forefront of women's conversations, thereby certainly contributing to the Rabbit's sales. The Rabbit continues to outsell other types of female-oriented adult toys.
Other innovations include multiple lines of silicone products, such as iVibe luxury vibrators and molded replications of porn star anatomy. More recently, Doc Johnson's bestsellers include the TRYST™ Multi Erogenous Silicone Massager and the OptiMALE™ Rechargeable Vibrating C-Ring. The TRYST satisfies both genders, whereas the OptiMALE is designed for male pleasure.
How Doc Johnson Built an Empire of Wholesale Sex Toys
Doc Johnson established itself four decades ago as the leader in the wholesale sex toys industry. This position has not changed, as the company continues to innovate and win awards for its products.
Originally, the company started to promote sexual self-exploration and greater enjoyment of healthy interaction between consenting adults. To serve these purposes, the company produces a diverse range of products suited to all genders, identities and interests. Besides innovation, comfort and safety play a major role in the products Doc Johnson designs and manufactures.
The philosophy of Doc Johnson today continues to focus on "the individual pursuit of pleasure, and the health and relationship benefits fostered by healthy sexuality," according to the brand's website.
Multi-Channel Marketing Established a Globally Recognized Brand
Selling Doc Johnson wholesale sex toys never presents a problem, regardless of location worldwide. The products maintain top brand recognition in America, as well as around the globe. Consumers know the brand even in places like Russia and Turkmenistan. Virtually all leading adult toy retail outlets carry the brand as a staple of the industry.
Doc Johnson's marketing leadership, Ron Braverman himself, uses industry events, consumer events, online markets, retail brick-and-mortar stores and just about every other possible channel to build and maintain the brand. Today, Doc Johnson also serves eco-conscious markets through clear delineation of products designed for safety, being phthalate-free and body-safe.