SAN FRANCISCO — Kink University, the educational arm of BDSM powerhouse Kink.com, is preparing for sophomore year. The site, which launched in August 2014 celebrates its one-year anniversary this week — and some unusual successes.
“We reach a really unique audience. It’s very different than other adult sites,” says Kink University dean and director Danarama. “Our audience is nearly 30% women, and over half our audience is under 35. These are people traditional adult sites have a hard time reaching, but they’re our bread and butter. We’re filling a need.”
In its first year alone, Kink University produced over 60 tutorials, ranging from belt bondage and flogging to triple penetration and G-spot mastery. The site, which offers both live and online classes, has been featured on hundreds of outlets, including Cosmo, Shape, Fast Company, MTV and Fox News.
Kink University was launched to “demystify and celebrate alternative sexualities,” a central part of parent company Kink.com’s overall mission. The university’s classes are not only how-tos, detailed with tips, precautions and context —they’re also visually frank.
“As an adult company, we’re not shy about showing sex,” says Danarama. “We had an opportunity to go further than others had. We didn’t want to be a neutered sex-ed class; we wanted to embrace the eroticism of the topics.”
So far, it’s been paying off. While most adult sites are contending with falling or flat sales, Kink U has grown aggressively. And for Kink.com, it’s a crucial way to expand as a brand into non-traditional spaces with non-traditional audiences. But what’s been most meaningful, Dan says, has been audience reaction.
“We have people constantly writing and thanking us for doing this work. Sometimes they’re closeted about their sexuality, or having trouble talking to a partner. Other times, they’re happy to know how to try something new or do it even better, safely and effectively. Either way, we’re happy to be able to keep doing this.”
To sign up for classes, visit KinkUniversity.com.
