AUBURN, Wash. — Sexual wellness brand and retailer Lovers, which is in the midst of being acquired by Playboy, is launching “Lovers List: The Ultimate Sex Educator Awards.”
According to Reuters, last month, Playboy Enterprises agreed to acquire Lovers’ parent company, TLA Acquisition Corp, in a deal valued at around $25 million, with Playboy expecting Lovers to add roughly $45 million in revenue over the next 12 months.
“The area that we think is the greatest financial opportunity right now is in the sexual wellness space. It’s a highly fragmented industry,” Playboy Chief Executive Ben Kohn told Reuters.
Lovers says it experienced 82% year-over-year growth comparing Q4 sales from 2020 to 2019.
As for the company’s new Lovers List Awards, Lovers CEO Barbara Cook said that they are “in line with the Lovers mission to be at the forefront of social evolution and champions of safe, sexual discovery for all, we're thrilled to shine a much-needed spotlight on the crucial work of sex educators through this initiative.”
Cook added, "Our products enhance pleasure, so we value the importance of education and empowerment, as well as fostering a community around sex positivity and finding pleasure in healthy, consensual ways."
Sex educators will be able to nominate themselves for the chance to win $7,500 to expand their work, with a matched donation ($7,500) in the winner’s name to the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, an organization that focuses entirely on affirming the fundamental human right to sexual freedom and ending sexual violence.
The winner will also receive a gift basket of Lovers' favorite products ($2,500 retail value) from WOW Tech, System JO, Wicked, Sex & Mischief by Sportsheets, Fun Factory, Sensuva, Intimate Earth, Classic Brands and Lovers brand.
Nine runners-up will receive a gift basket ($800 retail value) from WOW Tech, System JO, Wicked Sensual Care, Sex & Mischief by Sportsheets, Fun Factory, Sensuva, Intimate Earth and Classic Brands.
Ten sex educator finalists will be revealed on Thursday, March 11 at which point the winner will be determined via public voting. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 24 as part of Lovers' 40th Anniversary virtual celebration. The event is free to attend. The event will include performances by Asia O’Hara from "RuPaul’s Drag Race," and other entertainment to be confirmed, as well as trivia, an attendee discount on Lovers products, and one attendee will be chosen at random to win a $500 gift card to Lovers.
Register for the event on Eventbrite.
To be considered for a nomination in the Lovers List Awards, sex educators can nominate themselves here.
