Have you ever stopped to watch a sex toy ad and then it left you feeling pleasantly surprised rather than shamed?
I was scrolling through Xiaohongshu the other day and an ad from OSUGA, a Chinese female sexual toy brand, caught my attention. This is not the kind of ad that slaps bold messaging directly to your face, but instead it sheds light on a largely undiscussed topic in China with elegance: Women’s sexual wellness.
‘Give the world a little vibration’ is an ad by OSUGA in December 2023. The ad included elements that vibrate from everyday life such as electric toothbrushes, toys, phones, motors, and trampolines to deliver the concept that ‘If our lives do not have vibration, we would lose almost half of the joys.’
Open discussion on ‘Give the world a little vibration’
The appearance of the products and texts related to ‘sex’ are all very subtle, and the video used soft warm lights in visuals and serene music in the background to create a peaceful and comforting vibe. What got me really intrigued was that this ad does not deliver messages like “Hey look, this is a sex toy!”. It feels like the ad is trying to redefine the narratives around women’s sexual wellness in a way that is empowering, comfortable and elegant. The focus here is not about the products, it’s about shifting perspectives.
Of course, from the point of its commercial interest, I believe this is a strategic approach to align the brand with empowerment and wellness, making the product more approachable and resonant with the audience.
And guess what? I quickly read through the comment section of the video and did further research about people’s reactions to it — People are not turning away, they are leaning in with curiosity and opening a conversation that is long overdue.
Cultural Tension in China
With a more progressive attitude in most developed cities in China, sex is already a topic for open discussion. Conversation around relationships, intimacy and sexual awareness are becoming common, and even commercialised. You can read more about this attitude change from Sexuality in China: A review and new findings — Princeton University.
However, topics on women’s sexual wellness remain stigmatised. Discussions about women’s pleasure at sex are still met with discomfort and dismissal, especially among the older generations who are deeply influenced by the Confucian values of modesty and restraint. Sadly, the more empowered younger generations including myself sometimes still feel uncomfortable when we discuss a topic like this, and I guess this comes from the subtle influences of our parents…
I think OSUGA realised this issue and acknowledged it in the ad.
“This is an ad truly made for women!!” - Comments from Xiaohongshu
The ad focuses on self-care and pleasure being an essential part of wellness instead of the sex toy product, shedding light on this topic in a subtly and caring way. Therefore the female audiences who are just starting to embrace this conversation can deeply resonate with it while feeling cared and assured.
The Backlash: Popular Feminism and Misogyny
Being confident doesn’t mean being shameless.”
– Comment from a Xiaohongshu user
Of course, an ad like this would face criticisms, and that highlights the ongoing “terrain of struggle” within feminist discourse. Critics questioned the content of this ad being inappropriate and shameless. This shows how misogyny often pops up whenever feminism makes progress, especially when it starts to challenge cultural norms.
“If you want to empower women, why not be more direct?”
– Another comment under the same ad from Xiaohongshu
At the same time, OSUGA’s ad exists in “economy of visibility,” where these subtle feminist messages gain attention but are often criticised for being tied to consumerism as it does not challenge the real societal problem nor state any practical solutions.
The relationship between popular feminism and popular misogyny is deeply entwined: popular feminism and popular misogyny battle it out on the contemporary cultural landscape, living side by side as warring, constantly moving contexts in an economy of visibility.”
Sarah Banet-Weiser
The Bigger Picture: Feminism in China
The OSUGA ad is part of the perspective shift currently undergoing in China, I don’t see the backlash as a fully negative thing as it always reminds us that feminism is a work in progress.
Structural changes are definitely vital to achieving true equality. While there are criticisms of popular feminism, at the beginning stage of recognising such a topic in China, being able to spark such a public conversation is an influential first move. It’s a crucial step towards a future where women’s sexual wellness can be an open topic — they’re just a normal part of life.
Question: Can subtlety like this spark real change, or does it risk watering down the message?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section, and keep the conversation going….