Durex Launches Largest Ever UK LGBTQ+ Sex Survey

Durex, the UK’s #1 selling sexual wellbeing brand, has today launched its largest ever sex survey aimed solely at the UK’s LGBTQ+ community. Backed by an awareness campaign from creative agency Havas London, and driven to the LGBTQ+ community by media agency Zenith, it aims to help Durex understand how it can best support the community, enabling everyone’s right to express their true sexual self.

The survey, which can be taken at Durex’s #MySexMyWay hub, asks questions that relate specifically to LGBTQ+ experiences in areas including sex education, sexual fulfilment, sexual health, dating and self-acceptance, in an attempt to genuinely understand the challenges facing the community. It recognises that sexual confidence comes from being our true, authentic selves – but that for the LGBTQ+ community, this can be harder to achieve. The results will inform the role Durex plays and help the brand understand how it can become the best ally possible. 

It launches via a campaign from Havas which celebrates LGBTQ+ individuals who have overcome personal and societal hurdles to live their sex life their way. It revolves around a series of empowered statements and stories which evoke the attitude of those people who live (and love) true to themselves and who embrace their identity and sexuality proudly and unapologetically. 

The social and digital campaign will predominantly appear in LGBTQ+ spaces, including partnerships with dating apps HER and Grindr. Arranged by Zenith, this will comprise a series of bespoke, co-created articles on the subject of queer sex, as well as a live ‘re-sex education’ event on HER with queer sex therapist Casey Tanner.

It will also include the involvement of influencers including Rose Ellen Dix, Mélanie Lehmann, Jamie Windust and Tanya Compas, and a promotional tie-up with PinkNews.

To coincide with the launch of the survey, Durex has committed to ensuring all its brand imagery is truly representative, with a new series of photography commissioned via Kintzing to incorporate more inclusive imagery featuring a diverse range of people within the community.

Recognising the lack of inclusive sex education available to young people, Durex has also partnered with The Proud Trust to help roll out its inclusive sexual health toolkit, training professionals to empower all young people to explore and express their identity and sexuality, their way.

Lindsay Forbes, Marketing Manager at Durex says: “Everyone should have the right to express their sexuality, to have the freedom to explore and enjoy their sex life and be their true sexual selves. As a sexual health and wellbeing brand, we have the responsibility to help make this happen. But first, we’ve got some listening to do. We recognise we have a considerable platform and the influence that comes with that, and we’re committed to using that influence for good. With the #MySexMyWay survey, we want to understand how to become the best ally to the LGBTQ+ community we can be, supporting everyone to live their sex life, their way.”

Elliot Harris, Global ECD, Reckitt and Creative Partner at Havas London, adds: “Durex has made huge strides in genuinely diverse representation within its advertising over the past few years, authentically depicting sex in all its myriad beauty. That being said, we recognise the LGBTQ+ community faces a specific set of challenges rooted in outdated, archaic societal prejudice. This survey will play a key role in furthering Durex’s ambition to be a genuinely useful ally to the community, and we’re proud to shine a light on some of the remarkable people within it.” 

Florence Ospici, Group Strategy Director at Zenith, adds: “This is important work from Durex that other brands should take notice of. Durex are taking the time to listen and find out how they can be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. We worked hand-in-hand with HER and Grindr to develop the survey to ensure it would provide them and Durex with the best insights into the sexual wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community. This will set Durex up to know how to support the community in the future. Partnerships were crucial in ensuring a successful and fair distribution amongst the community, and really hearing their voices. We’re so proud to help Durex deepen their allyship, using media as a powerful vehicle to do so."