LOS ANGELES — Lovehoney has launched what it calls “a humorous and cheeky” new television ad campaign promoting its sex toys and lingerie.
According to the company, the campaign, which features “bonking furry rabbits, cheeky spanking with a fly swatter and a happy, satisfied couple crashing on a bed in a post-coital glow,” aims to “raise lots of smiles” and drive ambitious international growth.
Due to broadcasting restrictions, sex toys are not shown, and the ad was cleared to be shown on British TV after 9 p.m. when more adult content is permitted.
Lovehoney is reportedly the first sex toy company to advertise on TV in the U.K., with previous ads featuring couples talking about their positive experiences shopping at Lovehoney, helping to boost its annual sales to £55 million ($71,957,600 ) and its profits to increase by 79 percent to £3.7 million ($4,840,784).
The Bath-based firm’s new Brand and Marketing Director Helen Balmer used research and insight to discover that U.K. consumers were ready for a new approach to talking about and considering sex toys.
Balmer says that the aim is to convert the millions of adults currently considering buying sex toys into Lovehoney customers with ads celebrating the fun sex toys can bring to their relationship along with Lovehoney’s excellent customer service and discreet packaging.
The ad started showing on British TV on Thursday night (July 21), and is now shared on social media, further raising the profile of Britain’s biggest online sex toy retailer.
Balmer, who was appointed last October, said that following a rigorous review, it selected Brave to partner with on production.
“We selected Brave because they really got our market, our brand and applied our insight. They developed a brilliant creative which is totally on brief and brand,” Balmer explains. “When we tested the concept with consumers, they loved it, describing it as ‘exciting, humorous and playful.’ It’s a little bit cheeky and is really getting talked about. Everyone who [sees] it ends up with a big smile on their face.”
Balmer led a creative team which included Brave group Account Director Claire Knowles, Creative Head Caroline Paris, Senior Producer Emma Smalley and Director Mary Clerté from Partizan.
“We were delighted to work with Lovehoney to create a real category-shifting TV ad, to entice couples to enhance their sex lives in the pursuit of sexual happiness for everyone,” Knowles notes.
Lovehoney also worked with regulators and Clearcast, with all ads shown after the 9 p.m. watershed.
“We work hard with the regulators to create ads appropriate for post-watershed schedules,” Balmer says. “No sex toys are featured in the new ad, and instead we have lots of innuendo — a staple of British humor.”
The new ad can be seen here.
