Lovehoney
Challenging censorship with bold advertising that sparked conversation.
Background
Due to strict guidelines, Lovehoney couldn’t advertise its products directly. We explored people’s alternatives to sex toys, creating playful ads to highlight the censorship issue and challenge the taboo around sexual pleasure.
Our approach
Research revealed 14% use a pillow, 7% use an electric toothbrush, and 9% use a hairbrush for sexual pleasure. Due to strict advertising guidelines, we challenged censorship and highlighted the taboo of sexual pleasure with playful ads, showing what happens when this topic remains unspoken.
What we did
We created outdoor ads using playful copy and substitute items. We shared these with media outlets, included supporting research, and featured Lovehoney’s sexual health expert to discuss the dangers of using alternatives.
Impact & results
The campaign generated 50 media mentions across key publications, with 100% including key messaging on the public health impact of censoring sexual wellness. It positively engaged marketing and advertising industry leaders on LinkedIn, achieving global reach and coverage across the UK, Australia, and Asia.
'When facing the amount of advertising restrictions we do as a sexual wellness brand, you have to get really creative when it comes to PR, which is exactly what was achieved with the Unbannable Ad campaign. The campaign simultaneously raised some important issues around censorship while nodding to Lovehoney’s more playful nature and tongue-in-cheek advertising. We’re really grateful to Boldspace for bringing this vision to us and assisting in bringing it to life alongside our creative team, and we’re really pleased with how it’s performed out in the wild!'
Nadia McCowan Hill
Global PR Lead