Ethical erotic audio-only platforms for adults are designed to be enjoyed solo or as a couple. Photo / Getty Images
Warning: This article discusses sexual themes and is suitable for adults only.
My wife hated pornography so we started using a more female-friendly version. The result changed more than just our physical relationship.
If you were to picture a couple working in the porn industry, then my wife and I couldn’t be further from what you might imagine. Hannah hasn’t got pneumatic boobs, and I’m hardly blessed (let’s say) with the 14-inch “credentials” you might expect of porn stars.
We’d never be found filming on seedy sets wearing dubious costumes, thank you. We’re more likely to spend our time hiking, cycling and running around after our seven- and four-year-old children. But yes, we do run an ethical (non-degrading to anyone) porn business, and our passion is helping couples – just like us – enjoy sexually fulfilling relationships.
When I met Hannah through friends 15 years ago, I’d just finished university and she’d completed her design apprenticeship. Her quiet self-confidence attracted me, and instantly it felt like a meaningful relationship; more than your average, 20-something hook-up. Our wedding in the Austrian Alps 10 years ago was so romantic, both of us were certain we’d found our “forever” person.
Like most young couples we were ambitious. I co-founded a marketing agency while Hannah launched a wedding stationery design business.
Sexually, I’d describe us as “vanilla” in our tastes and we were both very happy. With neither of us keen to do anything too eyebrow-raising, we were compatible.
But several years into marriage, around the time we became parents in 2017, things started to slide in the bedroom. I’m sure many long-term couples might relate to this. And that’s when we began talking, really honestly for the first time, about how to keep the intimacy alive. Not from a place of crisis (there were no rows or any infidelity fears for us) but more with curiosity and a will to make it work. So one evening, I said “why don’t we watch some porn together?”
Full disclosure here, like most men (statistics imply it’s half of us but I suspect that’s higher in reality) I did already use porn alone occasionally, probably a few times a month. It wasn’t anything extreme or secretive, and Hannah never objected; she was perfectly secure knowing it didn’t make me think any less of her or our sex life.
But when I suggested we try watching together (I’d researched the more tasteful “ethical” porn for the occasion) the result was… underwhelming.
Even though I’d picked videos geared towards women, which seemed more thoughtfully produced, Hannah was not impressed. The hyper-perfected bodies she saw on the screen made her feel bad about herself; she found it distracting. And a turn-off. “They just don’t feel or look like us,” she (quite fairly) complained.
This in turn, however, led to a bigger conversation. I asked her what she enjoyed masturbating to (sounds obvious, but I bet many men don’t actually ask, or perhaps not in a way women feel comfortable responding to). Hannah told me she loved romance books, reading them most nights. So I started reading a few and the appeal was obvious – there was more slow-burning tension, proper storytelling and actual emotional connection between characters. Let’s face it, “traditional” porn offers none of this.
But, as I pointed out to Hannah, those stories aren’t exactly suited to spontaneous moments (which marital sex often necessitates – “quickies” are sometimes the only way it’s happening with kids and work). I also joked that I didn’t have the trained, sexy voice of a narrator to read the steamy chapters out loud in bed…
It made us both realise that while I could compartmentalise (a clichéd sex difference perhaps – but a truism), Hannah could not. And she’s far from alone.
We researched it all and found that when it comes to sex, on average, women rely more on imagination, fantasy and emotional build-up than men. In Germany, there’s even a term for it, kopfkino, which translates to “head cinema”. So for many women, including Hannah, eroticism is simply more cerebral.
Men, by contrast, tend to be more visually stimulated and better able to separate themselves from what they’re watching (not comparing themselves unfavourably, as women commonly do). And that was our lightbulb moment – what if we could create erotic audio stories? Something immersive and arousing, but by listening only, without the visuals that alienate women.
This insight shaped what would become our careers. We realised that listening to sexy things (as opposed to watching them) offered a unique middle ground for us. Richer than regular porn, yet more immediate than steamy books. As Hannah described it, “you can close your eyes and imagine yourself in the scene, not watching from the outside”.
When we looked into what was available, we found that nothing was tailored for couples to enjoy together. Our first concept was to make guided sex audios – like having a third person in the room, giving instructions and helping a couple connect. Over time, we evolved into more narrative-driven audio plays, with multiple voice actors, sound effects and character arcs. Basically, like erotic audio plays.
And so, in early 2020 – two months into the pandemic, with a toddler and a newborn at home – we launched Bloom Stories, our ethical erotic audio-only platform for adults, to be enjoyed solo or as a couple.
At first it was just the two of us writing, producing and editing everything from our living room. Today, we employ around 20 staff, with hundreds of freelance writers and voice actors. We find those with lived experience of the scenarios they’re playing to make sure it’s authentic and now make stories in English, German, French and Spanish.
While there’s cover art for each story, it’s only lightly suggestive, with no nudity and nothing explicit. Each episode is typically 20 to 30 minutes long, as this is the “sweet spot” for most users, we discovered.
Our listeners are mostly in long-term relationships or marriages, and many use our stories to safely act out fantasies – such as threesomes or some light BDSM – which they wouldn’t act out in reality. Some people say in feedback that indulging their fantasy is enough, while others say our stories gave them the confidence to try something new in real life; for example, they’ve since become regular swingers.
Our audience is predominantly female – around 60-70% – and the average age is around 38 years old. It’s not only couples though, we’ve heard from women in their 70s rediscovering desire after being widowed. That’s heart-warming.
Interestingly, not all of our users listen to these stories in bed. Some people listen during their commute or housework, saying it acts like foreplay, getting them thinking about fantasies to enjoy together later.
One of our proudest projects is a spicy, 13-hour-long version of Pride and Prejudice. There’s so much simmering tension between Elizabeth and Darcy, we thought it would be fun to imagine what went on behind closed doors.
We’ve set clear rules on the sort of stories we create. There’s nothing you’ll hear that includes non-consensual sex or incest or underage characters; no bestiality and nothing involving bodily waste. We do cover BDSM, anal play and fantasies like group sex – but in the way romance novels often do: emotionally layered and tastefully written.
While we don’t listen to our own stories for arousal any more – by the time we’ve discussed the production nitty gritty (is his voice too low? Is she too breathy?) it breaks the spell – brainstorming new ideas remains a turn-on in a different way, as we listen to other creators’ work.
Hannah and I split our roles in the company. She’s the CCO (chief creative officer) and leads on creative: everything from storytelling to cover art to product design. I handle the business side of things: data, finance – the “boring stuff”, as we joke.
We know ourselves that listening and running a company together brings us closer. It’s strengthened our own marriage and, crucially, it’s led to a relationship where everything is open for discussion.
As proud as we are of what we’ve achieved, we do keep it private. Our children know that their parents “run a company”. When they are ready, we want to be open with them and explain that we’ve created a product that encourages experimentation and trying out new things. We’d like to show that sexuality is a normal part of human life and goes beyond the simple act of sex; it’s something that shows the emotional depth that an intimate connection can create.
And yes, we do still laugh sometimes about how unlikely this path was for us two – a relatively vanilla couple with fairly average sexual histories and no previous experience of working in the sex industry!
The platform is about more than just feeling sexy for us – it’s about connection, fantasy and trust. For many people, that’s exactly what’s missing in normal porn. We’re delighted to be part of creating something different.
As told to Susanna Galton