Creative agency JOAN has unveiled its first campaign for the iconic British pleasure brand Ann Summers, marking a bold new chapter for the retailer with “Life Is For Play.”
Since the 1970s, Ann Summers has been synonymous with empowerment, the first to tell women “sex is for you too.” Now, the brand is evolving that message for 2025, taking a fresh, unapologetic look at what pleasure really means.
“At Ann Summers, we believe there is power in pleasure,” said Maria Hollins, CEO of Ann Summers. “We’re inviting people to rethink foreplay, not just as a physical prelude to sex, but as a vital part of emotional and intimate connection. Foreplay isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential.”
Freed from models and traditional notions of what’s sexy, “Life Is For Play” invites people to imagine themselves in moments of intimacy, spontaneity, and joy. The campaign celebrates everyday pleasures with tactile, suggestive imagery, lace underwear hanging from a chandelier, handprints on a sofa, and glimpses of playful aftermaths that leave everything to the imagination. Look below:
“Ann Summers has always been a cultural provocateur,” added Kirsty Hathaway, Executive Creative Director at JOAN London. “But as conversations around sex and pleasure evolve, so too has the brand. With this campaign, Ann Summers reclaims its place as the cultural authority on female pleasure — with a wink and a smile.”
The work, created by JOAN’s London office in partnership with Parkview Productions and photographer Zoe McConnell, marks Ann Summers’ first campaign under the agency since it won the account earlier this year. CrossMedia handled media planning and buying.
The campaign is running across out-of-home, in-store, and digital channels throughout the Ann Summers ecosystem.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Ann Summers
- CEO: Maria Hollins
- Photographer: Zoe McConnell
AGENCY: JOAN London
- Creative Director: Jo Ridley
- Designer: Veronica Law
- Artworker: Ewan Jones
- Project Manager/ Producer: Rianna Joseph
- Business Director: Nikki Melville
- Executive Creative Director: Kirsty Hathaway
- Strategist: Izzy Whiteley
- Strategy Director: Flora Joll
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Parkview Productions
- Executive Producer: Rachel Dyson
- Producer: Madeleine Valder
- Lighting Tech: Carissa Harrod
- Digi Op: Nick Graham
- Set Designer: Nicholas Rogers
- Retoucher: Sipke Visser
VFX: Garth Lee Vickers
MEDIA: CrossMedia
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