Paris, France – Today, porn is the dominant source of sex education for young men, which skews their relationship with sex and their partners*. They have a deformed view of reality and give less and less of an importance to listening, the desires of others, and the importance of foreplay.
As a leader in the conversation about intimacy, sexual wellness brand SKYN and its agency, Sid Lee Paris decided to challenge this and use porn to address the problem!
They did so by leveraging voices young people would listen to when it comes to sex advice: the pornstars themselves. Super(porn)stars Stoya and Dale Cooper participated in the campaign. And chose to communicate where people are most likely to hear the message: on Pornhub. The porn site with the most web traffic.
Starting on April 16th on for a month, Pornhub viewers will discover a pre-roll ad featuring these 2 pornstars. 2 sensual videos of foreplay shot in 35mm by Sergi Castella (CREAM), in which Stoya and Dale address viewers directly: “You can skip an ad, but you shouldn’t skip foreplay”. A montage breaking the codes of the category inviting people to take their time.
On the website Stoya and Dale Cooper talk about the importance of foreplay and why, when it comes to real sex, we shouldn’t skip ahead. Stoya adds that porn often offers a distorted view of sex: “Remember that pornography is not intended as a sex education program. It’s not a how to guide.” And Dale adds, “All sex education cannot be thrown on porn, but at the same time, porn could play a bigger role – instead of just focusing on penetration.”
In parallel, SKYN has also created a special edition how-to leaflet, the first that features foreplay. While classic instructions feature a few ilustrations and a quick explanation of how to put on a condom, the Don’t Skip Foreplay version puts the emphasis on what comes before by adding 14 illustrations of foreplay. A guide for foreplay born from the testimonies of influencers, academics, sexologists, sociologists and others, featuring quotes and graphics created by Parisian illustrator Sophie Dherbecourt. Because as a condom brand, SKYN believes in reminding people that sex begins long before the condom is opened and it’s not just limited to penetration.
*(According to the 2020 SKYN Sex & Intimacy Survey, more than half of male respondents (67%) learn about sex from porn, putting the future of intimacy in question.)
Credits:
Advertising Agency: Sid Lee Paris
President: Johan Delpuech
Executive Creative Director: Sylvain Thirache
Creative Directors: Céline and Clément Mornet Landa
Art Director: Romain Lehur
Copywriter: Julien Sens
Copywriter : Kim Froissant
Head of Production: Thomas Laget
Producer: Marine Redon
Head of Social Media : Alexandre Ponte
Social Media Manager : Jeff Deconchat
Head of Strategy: Bruno Lee
Strategic Planner: Patrice Zamy
Managing Director: Mehdi Benali
Group Account Director: Héloïse Marchal
Account Managers: Trisha Mitra & Paul Pieuchot LifeStyles – SKYN®
Vice President Global Marketing: Matthew Groskorth
Global Marketing Strategy Director: Marta Toth
Global Brand Marketing Manager: Nicolas Woussen
Production : Cream
Director : Sergi Castella
Producer: William Blanc
Line Producer: Boris Briche
About the Author
Theda Braddock is an American who lives and works in Paris. She helps agencies develop their communication and promote creativity, and writes for several publications when she has time.
