Putting the ‘ooh’ into OOH, a campaign created by Leith for Lovehoney, the UK’s leading sexual wellness destination, is turning to double-entendres to circumvent censorship laws around advertising for more grown-up products.
With laws preventing everything from showing sex toys to using certain language relating to sex within adverts, the creative agency has sought to deliver the message that Lovehoney is a customer-focused, inclusive brand that encourages an open, fun, engaging and progressive approach to all aspects of sexual wellness.
The series of messages ironically plays on Lovehoney’s loyal customer base and its outstanding Trustpilot reviews (a core strength of the brand’s offering), while playfully subverting typical customer tropes: “Our customers love to push our buttons”; “We take our customers for a ride” and “Our customers moan a lot” are just some of the suggestive messages doing the talking against textured backgrounds which only hint at double meanings and leave ‘those in the know’ to fill in the gaps.
The new campaign comes almost a year after Leith’s first TV ad for Lovehoney. It looks to continue to break down the social barriers that prevent people from feeling they can talk openly and frankly about anything related to sexual wellness, while sensitively and humorously navigating a landscape that often seems to do everything it can to stop open, positive and healthy conversations about sex.
The OOH campaign will run for two weeks starting on October 7. It coincides with Lovehoney’s peak trading period and celebrates the fun and inclusivity of the ‘Lovehoney effect’ brand, just in time for Christmas!
Nora Lahl, director of marketing at Lovehoney, said: “Advertising restrictions frequently hinder our ability to educate the public on the benefits of sexual wellness, so we have to creatively communicate within an ATL setting. In our latest OOH campaign, we’ve turned the typical trope of the ‘moaning’ customer on its head, whilst subtly alluding to the abundant pleasure customers can experience via Lovehoney.co.uk.
“The result is a playful and thought-provoking campaign, which raises a smile, while also underscoring our Trustpilot scores, which are a key proof point of our exceptional customer service.”
Brian Coane, partner at Leith, added: “We had a lot of fun creating these ads for Lovehoney. We enjoyed the challenge of navigating what could be said and how much product could be shown within the rules. Our approach celebrated Lovehoney’s customers in a playful yet affectionate manner, embodying the brand’s tone of voice.”
