THE DIFFERENTS. Feat The Department of Bed Intentions

FFO: Lubricant, Challenging the Status Quo, Building a Brand of Substance and the Importance of Scientifically Guided Sustainable Practices in Product Design.

BED INTENTIONS

I first encountered The Department of Bed Intentions on LinkedIn of all places - a post popping up in my feed with seasoned PR professional Sophie McGrath announcing the launch of her Australian consumer brand with a flagship product:

A natural prebiotic lubricant that was certified microbiome friendly, with recyclable packaging, vegan, and branded absolutely beautifully.

I then also took note of their INCREDIBLY UNIQUE other product - a Natural Tingle Balm, which was an oil based lubricant for targeted application but also, incredibly interestingly, contained in single dose shells, that would disappear in hot water, providing a zero-waste use without the inclusion of harmful chemicals and preservatives.

‘What is this brand?’ I said to myself, as the tingle balm capsules were not only visually amazing in both product and packaging form, but also, undeniably unique as a challenger entry in the highly saturated and rather generic-looking market. Being a brand nerd that loved their emphasis on the environmental and sustainability angle, I wanted to know more.

And thus, I’ve kicked off the curation for THE DIFFERENTS in a somewhat unexpected focus area: Sexual Wellness, and the people who seek to create something of true substance.

Diving into the establishment of The Department of Bed Intentions (TDBI hereon) meant leaning into who was behind this unique brand, and the motivations to not only create something meaningful in a consumer brand, but the why behind it, with this great overlap of sexual intimacy, conscious sustainability, and empowerment being embedded in the comms surrounding the launch campaign and subsequent brand-building (not unexpected from experienced PR professionals)

Sophie McGrath's journey is that of running her own PR agency (Sophie McGrath PR) for the better part of 10 years in AUS & UK, amassing a range of client brands in the consumer, fashion, food & beverage, health and lifestyle, environmental, charity and sporting fields.

My TL;DR on someone who has worked on that extensive range of cross-category brands creating awareness, is that eventually, a gap will always be honed in on by that individual, and their uniquely vast contextual experience accumulated, will create a reason to create something new. Something DIFFERENT.

Then, paired with professional professionals who can help drive that mission forward, can result in something incredibly unique in the market. As Sophie has found when teaming up with TBDI Head of Product and Innovation Wanda Chin, as they rejected status quo apathy, and forged on with the creation of a truly great, purposeful brand.

Differentiate with Positive Sustainability Intentions. (Or Don’t)

Building a brand, for the TDBI team, carries a commitment to creating a company that operates as sustainably as possible, with a range of accountable accreditations included as part of the brand-building from the outset, not as an after-thought or ‘later, when we achieve x.’

Microbiome-Friendly Certified, Cruelty-Free Certified, B-Corp Certified, Plastic-Free, Vegan, Recyclable Packaging, Carbon Positive are all wrapped up in the package, as the crew prioritise the use of easy-to-recycle materials and head towards a transition to 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminium tubes by 2025.

(Note, the team uses Australian company Our Trace to off-set their carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits that fund projects aiding the environment.)

Recognisable to many consumers looking on, especially to those who have long-ago turned their attention to more environmentally sustainable practices, is their verification as a B Corp company, meeting their commitments to environmental stewardship as they underwent the rigorous certification program. (Note: I’ve been through it previously, it is no joke)

Further to that environment aspect is their emphasis on championing social responsibility, with fair labour practice, working with >50% women owned suppliers, developing partnerships with BlaQ (not for profit organisation for Aboriginal Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual + Sistergirl and Brotherboy (LGBTQ+SB) Peoples and Communities) and committing to transparency to provide a clear insight into this brand's intentions, goals, and impact.

Yes, this is information freely accessible on TDBI website. But the emphasis on this approach from the outset as a core part of doing business is what is being referenced here, and is a truly interesting view into how a nascent, emerging challenger approaches their brand-building, as opposed to many an existing company who may prophezise their future commitments, but will need to actually be pre-disposed to action, at some point.

Lube. Lotsa Lube.

The de-stigmatisation related to creating a modern sexual wellness consumer brand, is one that more challengers embrace as they establish and scale in market, whether that be via education programs, all-bets-are-off social media for their audiences, or other novel and unique ways that can often be, in this category/industry, not as simple as ‘run paid ads, and run some more.’

To build a scaling business with a range of products that acquires new customers, and retains them, requires quality and thoughtful product development, as consumers maybe try, but ultimately, need to buy ongoing, as they continue to build affinity with a brand they love.

The TDBI microbiome-friendly lubricant is meticulously designed to enhance pleasure, without compromising the delicate balance of the body's natural flora. With the team intent on revolutionising the standard, they have collected a range of awards for their output, including winning the Wellbeing category at the 2025 Beauty Shortlist Awards, Gold at the 2024 Sexual Wellness Awards and Silver at the 2024 Clean & Conscious Awards.

When referencing form and function, their product has been designed to be hydrating and soothing, with the ‘perfect amount of slip’ as it says on the tin.

Containing green tea, prebiotics and fermented cranberry, it’s gluten, sugar, hormone, paraben and plastic-free. Of note is the Osmolality, a scientific term referring to the concentration of dissolved particles (like salts, sugars, and other solutes) in a liquid. It’s usually measured in milliosmoles per kilogram of water (mOsm/kg) and this lubricant achieves a 1030mOsm/kg reading, which is within the World Health Organisations recommended range for lubricants. (important when measuring the effect of lubricant interacting with the body’s natural tissues, particularly vaginal and anal mucosa.)

TL;DR - it’s Iso-osmotic, meaning it is balanced with the body’s natural fluids, reducing the risk of irritation or tissue damage, maintaining natural pH and microbiome levels.

And, not to be outdone, their Natural Tingle Balm oil-based lubricant contains a blend of peppermint, ginger and cardamom oils to help to give amplified focus and sensual seduction. It contains linseed oil, which has high levels of Omega-3 acids, known to support skin hydration.

A Word From The Founder

After writing up the feature, I contacted Sophie McGrath, founder of TDBI (invading her UK evening) on her journey founding and building TBDI, where the brand is in market currently, and where they’re headed next:

“With Bed Intentions, I set out to challenge that. Every product we make is designed to work, look good, and make people feel something - while never compromising on sustainability.

From choosing recyclable materials like aluminium to actively reducing our environmental impact, we’re building a brand that puts both pleasure and planet first. We’re not here to play it safe. We’re here to shift the conversation and prove that intimacy products can be as thoughtful and beautiful as anything else on your shelf.

Right now, we’re focused on growing our global footprint, expanding into the UK and EU markets, and preparing to launch our next category: sleep.

We’ve also got new collaborations, certifications, and retail partnerships on the horizon. This is still just the beginning - but we’re clear on our mission: to make intimacy and rest something people feel proud to invest in.”

THE DIFFERENTS

A fantastic brand to profile for this, the first article in THE DIFFERENTS theme stream for GROUPED, referencing impact and sustainability storytelling (likely in some unexpected ways)

I can think of no better company to kick things off: to platform, profile, and share wider, as a means to illustrate the choices brand-builders can and should consider when approaching their chosen market.

And, to lean into the taboo, a bit more, to advance, just a little more, the conversation around intimacy, connection and de-stigmatisation.

It’s just sex people. Your parents had it.

The Department of Bed Intentions: https://bedintentions.com/

Find them on Instagram: @bedintentionsdept

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