The Gate & Replens win £500,000 Diversity in Advertising competition

Replens™* has won Transport for London’s (TfL) and City Hall’s Diversity in Advertising Competition with a campaign which celebrates sexual intimacy amongst a diverse range of older people, breaking down misconceptions surrounding sex and intimacy in later life. The campaign will be displayed across the TfL network as part of the prize.

The “Sex Never Gets Old” campaign features a diverse group of older people, with a range of ethnicities, ages and sexualities, within beautiful, emotional portraits of couples. Through these emotive portraits Replens™ highlights that many people continue to enjoy sex and intimacy well into their sixties and beyond. The imagery and headlines emphasise a range of experiences and moments, from “touch never gets old” to “sex never gets old” – this is not just about the sexual act, but the broader canvas of human connection.

The campaign is a celebration of Replens™ inclusive brand values and gives visibility and awareness to the core brand community who Replens™ looked to hero in this campaign. Research tells us that despite 17.7% of the UK population being 65 or over, they only feature in 6.17% of advertising material (Lloyds Banking research, 2016). Whilst feedback from the brand community indicated a perceived level of societal discomfort with sex and intimacy in those aged over 55. Replens™ felt it was time to change this.

On behalf of Replens™, Rossana Doldi, Head of Healthcare, Church & Dwight UK Ltd, comments:

“Age, intimacy and sex are rarely referenced in advertising when discussing those aged over 55. Our campaign captures a diverse range of older people as sexual beings in beautiful and emotional moments of their intimacy, celebrating age and breaking down misconceptions surrounding these unspoken aspects in later life. Through this campaign we can give visibility and relevancy to this often, over-looked age group, giving people the confidence to view their older selves more positively, and inspire a long-lasting sex life!”

Jamie Elliott, CEO of The Gate, said:

“We are really chuffed that this campaign taking head-on the taboo around old age and sex has shone through. The team at Replens have been great partners in this endeavour to bust through the wall of ageism in advertising by bringing the over-55s out of the shadows and putting them centre stage to make them visible and relevant in a beautiful and thought-provoking way.”

Michael Benson, Group Marketing Director at Church & Dwight UK Ltd comments:

“We are thrilled that the Sex Never Gets Old campaign has won this accolade. The Replens™ campaign exemplifies the values of inclusion and diversity that we uphold at Church & Dwight. We are proud to be changing attitudes and debunking stereotypes with this bold, positive, inclusive and thought-provoking campaign, which heroes our brand community. We hope this raises awareness and encourages more positive engagement in the women’s intimate health category.”

Replens™ has also commissioned a nationwide survey with One Poll of people (over the age of 60) to better understand their views on sex and intimacy and identify the factors that contribute to a long-lasting sex life. The Flames of Sex & Intimacy Survey reveals that despite society’s often negative views of sex and intimacy in those over 60, many older people grow in confidence and become more at ease in relationships enjoying connection and sexual satisfaction throughout their 60’s, 70’s and beyond.

Rose & Linda, one of the featured couples says:

“When you start to get older, people wrongly assume that you stop having sex. We’re proud to work with Replens™ and be challenging the taboo that sexual intimacy amongst us slightly older folk shrinks with age. We’re firm believers that sex never gets old. If anything, it gets better the more experienced you are!”

Created by The Gate, part of MSQ, the Replens™ Sex Never Gets Old campaign will be visible across multiple sites across the TfL network from 15th – 28th March, including the digital screens at Canary Wharf and Southwark Bridge bus stop locations, having received around £500,000-worth of advertising space across the TfL network as the competition prize.

Chris Macleod, Director of Customer and Revenue at TfL, said: “With the competition now in its third year, it is great to see that the exceptional talent and creativity in the advertising industry is still being engaged by the themes of our competition – as illustrated by the outstanding quality of the winning campaign.

“My congratulations go to Replens MD** for their incredible entry, which clearly shone through despite tough competition, as well as my thanks to the fellow judges and our advertising partners. As we begin to take the first steps to recovery from the pandemic, I hope this competition will help encourage the industry to come back stronger and more inclusive than ever.”

Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement, Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard, said: “Adverts can be empowering when diversity is central to their development and not just an afterthought, and it was really good to see this come through in this year’s TfL Diversity in Advertising Competition.

 “This year’s winner beautifully celebrates older people. It also captures diversity in all its intersectional forms, including reflecting same sex relationships, while also highlighting an important issue for women. London is the most diverse city on the planet, and it is vital that this is reflected through advertising campaigns that we see around our city.”