JOAN Launches Debut Work for Ann Summers
…igniting a conversation that matters far beyond the bedroom.”
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- Today, JOAN launches “Life is foreplay,” its debut work for Ann Summers. Since the 1970s, the first-of-its-kind retailer company specializing in pleasure has been the first to say “sex is for you too.”
- Now, taking an unexpected creative approach, the new campaign shifts the narrative around the meaning of pleasure in 2025.
- Freed from models and prescriptive definitions of what’s sexy, “Life is foreplay” prompts people to imagine themselves in moments of pleasure. It celebrates imagination and everyday moments of pleasure through tactile, suggestive visuals – from lace underwear dangling on a chandelier to a butt and hand print on a sofa.
- The work marks a bold new creative direction for Ann Summers: playful, provocative, and cheeky.
- It goes live today across OOH, in stores, and across the Ann Summers ecosystem.
- JOAN created the work out of its London office in partnership with Parkview Productions, a female-founded production company that produced the images with photographer Zoe McConnell, and CrossMedia for media planning and buying.
- This campaign marks the first work and creative platform for Ann Summers created by JOAN, which recently won the brand’s account following a competitive pitch.
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“At Ann Summers, we believe there is power in pleasure,” says Maria Hollins, CEO of Ann Summers. “With our new ‘Life is foreplay’ campaign, 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. From playful moments to meaningful gestures, foreplay is where imagination meets sensation. We want to break down outdated taboos, spark honest conversations, and empower people to explore new ways of connecting. Because foreplay isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s essential. And when people feel confident and curious, their sex lives become more satisfying, more joyful, and more fun.”
…foreplay isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s essential. And when people feel confident and curious, their sex lives become more satisfying, more joyful, and more fun.”
“Ann Summers has always been a cultural provocateur – bringing sex to the high street to boldly say, ‘sex is for women too’,” says Kirsty Hathaway, Executive Creative Director at JOAN London. “But as the cultural conversation around sex and pleasure has shifted, so too has Ann Summers’ ambition. Now, it’s modernizing its role to become the cultural authority on female pleasure, all with a wry smile and the wit embedded in the brand’s DNA. In doing so, Ann Summers is igniting a conversation that matters far beyond the bedroom.”
TEAM CREDITS
Agency: JOAN London
Brand: Ann Summers
CEO: Maria Hollins
Photographer: Zoe McConnell
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
Executive Producer: Rachel Dyson – Park View Creative
Producer: Madeleine Valder – Park View Creative
Lighting Tech: Carissa Harrod
Digi Op: Nick Graham
Set Designer: Nicholas Rogers
Retoucher: Sipke Visser
VFX: Garth Lee Vickers
Exposure (media channels): CrossMedia
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