“Let’s talk about sex, baby, Let’s talk about you and me, Let’s talk about all the good things, And the bad things that may be.” Yes, this week we are channelling Salt-N-Pepa’s 1991 hit to flag up a new LadBible Group campaign aimed at breaking the silence around pornography and encouraging honest and responsible conversations about sex.
Running in partnership with Fumble, Movember, and Jordan Stephens, “For F**ks Sake” aims to close the gap between porn and reality – the disconnect between real-life sex and how it is represented online, including a new launch film, produced by Untold Fable.
The initiative follows a LadBible commissioned report aimed at unpacking the porn reality for Gen Z, with the findings serving as the driving force behind the entire ‘FFS’ campaign and shaping both its creative direction and core message.
The survey of 5,300 18- to 29-year-olds in the UK reveals that over three-quarters (77%) consume porn on a regular basis, with almost half (43%) watching weekly. Porn is also the number one sex educator, 70% of young men say porn was their first exposure to sex and 49% of Gen Z men struggle to cut back on porn; 34% feel guilt after watching.
The research also highlights that 80% of this cohort are worried about porn’s impact on their generation, and 77% want more resources to navigate porn and sex.
This campaign aims to change these conversations and engage LadBible Group’s audience.
FFS Productions brings together Jordan Stevens (Rizzle Kicks, mental health advocate), who fronts the campaign, and documentary maker Josh Pieters, who explores his own relationship with porn in new documentary ‘Porn: Who Gives A F**k?’.
It also features adult creators, sex therapists, porn addiction experts and GPs to have real conversations about real sex with and for young people, supported with the FFS Production Hub as an online platform where young people can access the resources they need.
This will be backed by out of home activations across the UK, in London and Manchester, showcasing key stats and messages.
Meanwhile, a central online hub will feature tools and resources designed with sex educators, therapists and health professionals, all focused on empowering young people to feel confident in their relationships with porn, sex and themselves.
LadBible Originals will include Minutes With a Porn Addict, to focus on behaviours, emotional, physical and mental impact, and over three episodes of Honesty Box, experts Dr Paula Hall, Dr Mark Perera, and Charlene Douglas will cover compulsive porn behaviours, sexual health and sex and relationships.
Alongside Jordan Stephens, public figures are joining the conversation with open and honest reflections about their relationships with porn.
LadBible’s findings point to two key areas where change could be made to better support young people in navigating sex and relationships.
Along with Fumble, Movember and Pivotal, LadBible is calling for a number of Government actions, including mandated age-appropriate sex (and relationships) education to 16- to 18-year-olds that is delivered by specialists, not teachers, better access to digital resources on sex and relationships and understanding of porn to be a part of that conversation.
They also want greater support for young people, including a national helpline or online hub or questions about porn and relationships; youth friendly information and advice services for porn addiction; and grants for NGOs such as Fumble, Pivotal or Movember to create ongoing digital literacy campaigns.
LadBible Group director of marketing Mike Walsh said: “Porn is more accessible than ever, and our research with young adults shows the serious challenges this is creating – from unrealistic expectations to effects on mental health and intimacy.
“Our campaign aims to break the taboo around porn by encouraging open conversations and promoting better education.
“Our goal is to help young people develop healthier, more informed relationships with sex and intimacy, and to provide them with answers to the questions they currently don’t know where to ask.”
Fumble chief executive Lucy Whitehouse added: “Porn can be a fun way for people to explore their sexuality, but it can become a problem when mainstream porn (typically free videos showing more hardcore and violent content) forms an idea of what real-life sexual intimacy should look like.
“This is what we need to address – we need to speak about what’s real, and what isn’t – and we need to support young people as they explore their sexuality safely.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, let’s face it, someone’s got to do something, even though one person’s “normal sex” is another’s “vanilla”, and while back in the day you had to go into a sex shop to access this stuff, now it is as there at the touch of a button.
We can only applaud any effort to have an open discussion about porn and sex, but by the time most kids get to 18, it’s almost too late.
Naturally, these are awkward conversations but they need to be had – the real issue is, who do most kids trust?
Decision Marketing Adometer: A “time for action” 8 out of 10
