The lingerie and sex toy retailer has briefed the agency to recruit partner brands that target a more affluent female audience.
"Ann Summers may not be at the top of people's mind as a potential affiliate partner for many brands,” Liquid Promotions Director Stephen Furlonger said. “But that would be to overlook the fact that the company offers a unique opportunity for brands to communicate with an affluent female target audience at a time when their barriers to communication are nonexistent."
Partnering up with Liquid may be a strategic move for Ann Summers, as Hustler Hollywood recently opened shops in London and Birmingham. Hustler announced last month it also is shopping locations for a store in Glasgow, Scotland, hoping to rival Glasgow’s Ann Summers shop and spark "sex wars on the high street,” Hustler officials said.
Ann Summers parties reportedly reach more than 40,000 women weekly, where organizers hold events at people's houses. Parties provide female attendees with the opportunity to get together and purchase intimate products away from the public eye.
The parties are free of charge and offer various items for viewing, as well as free ordering and discrete delivery, according to company officials. Some parties also offer exclusive products and offers unavailable through other purchasing avenues. Party hostesses receive special gifts from the retailer, while party guests receive the chance to pickup a few free “sex tips.”
Last month, Hustler officials also said they have plans to roll out six new stores by February 2006, including shops in Cardiff, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds and Camden.