How Lovehoney Clapped Back at Ad Censorship In Sexual Wellness

There are certain products that take an extra dollop of creativity to be advertised, especially through traditional mediums - sex toys are one of those. With discretion oftentimes being front of mind for these brands, and regulations on various forms of media preventing them from truly spreading their creative wings through product-first campaigns, these brands usually need to rely on really, really good innuendos.

Now, whether censoring the existence of sex toys in advertising is a good thing or not, it’s certainly a debate to be had. And Lovehoney took the floor with a strong contestant this April, with the help of agency Boldspace.

The leading destination for sexual happiness created the ‘Not a Sex Toy’ campaign by urging customers to choose self love and stop using odd kitchen appliances or, worse, vegetables, to satisfy their needs. ‘You deserve better’, read the billboards, showing imagery of everything Brits use as sex toys, except for actual sex toys.

The OOH campaign came as a response to strict advertising restrictions, and more specifically, as an answer to last year’s complaint from the ASA concerning a Lovehoney billboard that displayed a ball gag and a reference to Prince Harry.

Lovehoney’s spokesperson comments on the complaint: “The billboard - which was a tongue-in-cheek response to Prince Harry’s bare-all memoir ‘Spare’ - simply featured an image of a ball gag, with the words ‘Silence Is Golden, Harry’. The complaint received by the ASA was that the ad was ‘offensive’ and ‘inappropriate’ - the former wasn’t upheld, but it was deemed as inappropriate.

“I would expect the number of people that remember the campaign to be quite high, and far outweigh those that remember that there was a complaint (if any do). We still have conversations with new starters and external agencies that reference the Prince Harry campaign, as one that they have loved, although none cite the complaint.”

The spokesperson further explains that, while forgotten by the public, it was important for Lovehoney to reference the complaint in order to create this ‘unbannable’ campaign as a strategic response to advertising regulations.

“Regardless of the ASA’s complaint, we are still bound by their restrictions in our advertising and elsewhere, and need to keep banging this drum,” the spokesperson explains. “By working our way around the restrictions using humour and everyday household objects as substitutes for sex toys, we wanted to spark further conversation and highlight the need for sexual wellness information to be available to the public.”

According to them, these conversations in general have evolved in recent years, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to expect regulations to change. However, while the public becomes more sex-talk-free, Lovehoney hasn’t seen this reflected in the rules around advertising. 

Head of consumer at Boldspace, Lou Kelly, adds that the ‘fighting back’ spirit of the campaign is what also resonated with audiences, who tend to appreciate authenticity and defiance of social taboos.

For Lovehoney, being a leading sexual wellness brand entails not only “providing high-quality products, but also actively advocating for sexual health, pleasure, and inclusivity.” Their spokesperson explains that the brand feels it has a responsibility to challenge the stigma and misinformation surrounding sexual wellness and promote a positive and shame-free approach to sexuality.

In order to create the campaign, Lovehoney investigated the household objects that individuals are using as sex toy alternatives. The core research revealed that a significant proportion of the UK population - 41% to be precise - uses everyday household objects for sexual pleasure.

When it comes to items that people are most likely to reach for, pillows came in as the top choice overall, followed by hairbrushes and mobile phones, reveals Lou. 

“Using this data, we leaned on Lovehoney’s in-house sex and relationship experts to provide information on why using items not made for bodies could have potentially harmful effects,” says Lou. “These insights informed the campaign’s messaging and helped us connect with the audience on a relatable level.”

“The campaign, therefore, primarily targeted adults who engage in masturbation, encouraging them to embrace their sexuality in a positive way,” Lovehoney adds. 

And while, at first, the campaign was aimed at addressing strict ad regulations, by pursuing the research it ended up reaching a wider audience. This then led to Lovehoney choosing out-of-home for its ability to generate immediate impact and reach the most diverse demographic.

Lovehoney’s spokesperson explains: “By putting everyday objects and tongue-in-cheek copy in front of the public, we knew we would provoke an emotive response from our audiences and hopefully help to spark a conversation around the censorship issues faced by sexual wellness brands.”

The decision on where to place the billboards was informed by factors such as high foot traffic, visibility, and relevance to Lovehoney’s target audience, adds Lou.

Looking at the future of censorship in these types of ads, Lovehoney is hopeful, but remains optimistic about the alternatives: “While regulations might evolve, creative approaches like these will always help pave the way for a more open discussion, especially in the areas of sexual wellness and pleasure.”