Ann Summers appoints JOAN London as creative agency

Ann Summers has appointed JOAN London as its creative agency for a campaign launching this October, following a competitive pitch. As an iconic British brand which brought sex to the high street, Ann Summers played a significant part in helping women to feel comfortable and confident discussing their sexuality.

During a moment in time when most women were not openly talking about sex – with it being considered a taboo, behind closed doors topic – Ann Summers pioneered the liberation of the conversation. Over the years, people’s perception of sex has changed. Where this is no longer taboo and the meaning of sexuality and pleasure has shifted from a male gaze into a female gaze, it has moved from something that feels performative to something that feels ‘for me’. Ann Summers has the credibility, the history and the right to spark a new conversation and once again be the brand to drive the next chapter in sexual and pleasure liberation for women. With JOAN London, the work will modernize the Ann Summers brand and reinforce its relevance for women.

Kirsty Hathaway, Executive Creative Director at JOAN London, said:

“JOAN London’s mission is to build brands into modern legends in a way that focuses on both the longer term as well as the short, driving cultural impact and encourages talkability and change. Being a force for cultural change has been Ann Summers’ ethos for many years, and the brand propelled society forward to break down taboos around sex. They represent the JOAN London vision, and it’s hard to imagine a more perfect brand/agency partnership.”

Maria Hollins, CEO at Ann Summers, said:

“Ann Summers has always championed female pleasure and confidence, and JOAN shares that same bold energy. As a female-founded agency driving cultural change, they’re the perfect partner to collaborate with on this campaign as we shape the next chapter of sexual empowerment. It’s an exciting moment for us both.”

The first campaign will launch in late 2025.

JOAN Creative has been breaking the mould for what it means to be a small agency since its inception by Lisa Clunie and Jaime Robinson in New York in 2016. A formidable challenger, this female founded independent serves as a global offering of a big agency, while bringing the creativity, agility and fire of a small agency.

Ann Summers is an iconic empire and multi-channel retailer with a mission to sexually empower women – something we have been proudly and relentlessly driving for over 50 years.

Trailblazing since 1972, no other brand has had more conversations with their customers about sex, empowering generations to push boundaries and drive change. In the 80’s we brought sex to the high street, creating female-focused shopping environments which encouraged women to talk about sexual pleasure, and now boast  80 stores across the UK and Ireland in iconic locations such as London’s vibrant Wardour Street, and Manchester’s Trafford Centre.

Beyond our physical presence, Ann Summers has built a thriving online business through AnnSummers.com, as well as through third-party partnerships with the likes of ASOS, NEXT and many others. The Group now comprises of not just the Ann Summers brands and channels, but the newly created knickerbox.com platform and KBX lingerie brand, creating the first multi-brand lingerie focussed website.