Sex meets sustainability in new lubricant brand designed by Blurr Bureau

When it comes to buying lubricant for sex, generic branding and packaging have long been the norm. But one startup decided to do things differently. Their founder, Sophie McGrath's innovative product idea was to create the world's first microbiome-friendly lubricant.

To develop the concept, they turned to Blurr Bureau, a brand design and venture studio based in New York and Melbourne founded by Jessica Dimcevski. Jessica has over 15 years of experience in the industry, working with some of the world's most influential creatives and iconic brands.

Together, they've developed a daring brand for the sexual wellness startup that blurs the lines between sexuality and sleep.

The brief

"The Department of Bed Intentions shakes up the competitive market of modern sexual wellness by carving out a new category," explains Jessica at Blurr Bureau. "With so much sex currently saturating the market, the challenge lay in how we could position this brand to be the only one people want to reach for in the bedroom."

Three framed prints displaying Department of Bed Intentions branding on light blue, mustard yellow and cream backgrounds, designed by Blurr Bureau

Two water-based lubricant bottles from The Department of Bed Intentions, one blue 70ml bottle and one smaller white tube, displayed on white fabric

A yellow glass bottle with white cap next to a silver tube of water-based lubricant labelled B-1, 70ml, by The Department of Bed Intentions

Together with company founder Sophie, Blurr Bureau evolved the original vision – a singular sex product with a different name – to brand with a broader remit.

"With so much sex saturating the market, the challenge was positioning this brand as the only one people want to reach for in the bedroom," says Jessica. "We evolved the concept to consider both sex and sleep, designed to enhance the precious one-third of your life spent in bed."

Sensuality and sustainability

The rebrand is as bold as it is brilliant, starting with the company's name itself: The Department of Bed Intentions. A nod to the scientific approach informing the products, the name carries an authoritative yet playful air, speaking to both expertise and opportunity for pleasure.

Water-based lubricant tube by The Department of Bed Intentions with prebiotic natural ingredients in 70ml size against a neutral background

Black smartphone displaying The Department of Bed Intentions website showing Positive Intentions section with sustainability credentials, sat on white surface next to silver alarm clock

Water droplets cover two bottles of Department of Bed Intentions lubricant in black and white photography

"'Bed' Intentions plays on bedroom positivity in a double entendre," explains Jessica. "Plus, the word 'department' brings an authority that speaks to the medical experts informing the products".

As you can see from the images featured here, every element of the brand is curated to invoke the senses, from the textural feel of the embossed packaging to pleasurable UI elements that interact, surprise and reveal like human play.

These elements frame the brand as sexy and smart: a place to find professional breakdowns regarding bedtime topics rolled out across all collateral.

Sex meets sustainability

But that's only one half of it. From the outset, sustainability best practice for the packaging design was also a non-negotiable priority.

Clear cylindrical container overflowing with crumpled Department of Bed Intentions product packaging and tubes against a white background in black and white

After extensive environmental research, the team settled on a single size 70ml tube and cap, made of aluminum that contains no plastic components, including the box which is non-laminate cardboard with eco-friendly ink.

Consumer recycling ease was also taken into consideration in design, with 100% mono-material used and promoted through the design, website and packaging itself.

Overall, this exciting new brand takes modern trends such as wellness, sex positivity and environmental sustainability and takes them to the next level. The first-ever B-Corp sexual wellness brand in Australia, The Department of Bed Intentions succeeds in standing out in the currently crowded, and often crass, landscape of sexual wellness brands.