Lovehoney
{{Short description|British business selling erotic items}}
{{Infobox company
| industry = Retail{{cite web |title=UK Gov Companies House |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06016233 |publisher=UK Gov Companies House}}
| founded = 2002
| founder = Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford
| subsid = Womanizer
| website = https://www.lovehoney.co.uk/
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
Lovehoney is a British business that sells sex toys, lingerie and erotic gifts on the Internet. Their tagline is "the sexual happiness people".
In addition to retailing, Lovehoney has more than 400 own brand products and does development and publicity. In 2014 the company was the focus of a television show entitled Frisky Business, which looked at their day-to-day operations.{{cite web|title=Frozen vibrators and gold-plated sex toys – the UK's naughtiest office hits our screens|url=http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Bath-based-Lovehoney-s-Frisky-Business-TV-series/story-20849956-detail/story.html|publisher=Western Daily Press|accessdate=19 October 2014|archive-date=18 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418233432/http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Bath-based-Lovehoney-s-Frisky-Business-TV-series/story-20849956-detail/story.html|url-status=dead}}
Background
Lovehoney was founded in Bath, Somerset in 2002 by Richard Longhurst (former editor of .net magazine and PC Format) and Neal Slateford (former member of DNA). The company employs 230 people in the area, and is an official UK distributor of Durex products.
In 2009–10, Lovehoney had a turnover of £10.4 million and profits of £1.5 million{{cite web |date=10 March 2011 |title=Another good year for Lovehoney |url=http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313235408/http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 March 2011 |accessdate=16 March 2011 |publisher=The Bath Chronicle}} In 2010–11, it had a turnover of £13.4 million, and in 2011–12, it had a turnover of £16 million. In 2020–21, the turnover was £87.3 million.
History
{{prose|section|date=May 2022}}
Lovehoney launched its online store in 2002, operating from Richard Longhurst's bedroom.
The next year Lovehoney moved into a small warehouse, and became a limited company.
Lovehoney developed its first product in 2005, a music-activated vibrator called iBuzz; and in 2006 Apple Inc. threatened to sue Lovehoney over the iBuzz.
In 2007, Lovehoney launched the world's first sex toy recycling scheme, called Rabbit Amnesty.
In 2009, Lovehoney announced the first Lovehoney Design A Sex Toy Competition. The winner of that competition was Trevor Murphy with the Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator. The Lovehoney Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator is the best selling oral sex simulation sex toy in the world. Lovehoney USA was launched to sell Lovehoney own brand products wholesale to the United States.
In 2011, Lovehoney expanded its warehouse and workforce and the company is rebranded, with the cartoon mascot "Honey" being dropped and the tagline "the sexual happiness people" adopted.
Lovehoney was featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled More Sex Please, We're British in 2012.{{cite web |date=28 April 2012 |title=More Sex Please, We're British |url=http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |publisher=Channel 4 |accessdate=28 April 2012 |archive-date=13 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313235408/http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |url-status=live }}
Also in 2012, Lovehoney secured exclusive world rights outside the Americas to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products based on the Fifty Shades trilogy by E. L. James.{{cite web |date=7 January 2013 |title=Rise in demand boosts Lovehoney |url=http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/south-west/82609-rise-demand-boosts-lovehoney |publisher=Insider Media |accessdate=7 January 2013 |archive-date=11 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111015736/http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/south-west/82609-rise-demand-boosts-lovehoney? |url-status=live }}
In 2013, a Lovehoney advert was the first to say "sex toys" on British television.{{Citation |title='Happy Talk' Lovehoney's Ground-Breaking TV Ad Campaign |date=20 November 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TlTQriEZQ |accessdate=2015-11-18 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063412/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TlTQriEZQ |url-status=live }}
Lovehoney released the television show Frisky Business in 2014, in which viewers get to look into the Lovehoney business.{{cite web |last1=Goldfingle |first1=Gemma |title=Lovehoney to turn on viewers with new TV series Frisky Business |url=http://www.retail-week.com/lovehoney-to-turn-on-viewers-with-new-tv-series-frisky-business/5057625.article |website=RetailWeek |publisher=EMAP Publishing Limited |accessdate=11 November 2015}}
In 2021, Lovehoney received The Queen's Award for Enterprise,{{cite news |last1=Abraham |first1=Ellie |title=Sex toy brand given royal approval with Queen's Award |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-sex-toy-lovehoney-b1840135.html |work=The Independent |date=April 2021 |archive-date=19 January 2024 |access-date=19 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119051044/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-sex-toy-lovehoney-b1840135.html |url-status=live }} allowing it to use the Queen's Award emblem in marketing and on packaging for the following five years.
Also in 2021, Lovehoney underwent a consensual merger with WOW Tech to become Lovehoney Group,{{cite news |last1=Edelson |first1=Sharon |title=Wow Tech And Lovehoney Becomes World's Largest Sexual Wellness Company With $1.2 Billion Merger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sharonedelson/2021/08/12/wow-tech-and-lovehoney-becomes-worlds-largest-sexual-wellness-company-with-12-billion-merger/?sh=71c742224529 |work=Forbes |date=August 2021}} and was later featured in Channel 4's Christmas-themed documentary titled Naughty & Nice: Sex Toy Britain.{{cite web |last1=Channel 4 |title=Naughty & Nice: Sex Toy Britain |url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/naughty-nice-sex-toy-britain |website=Channel 4 |access-date=19 January 2024 |archive-date=19 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119051044/https://www.channel4.com/programmes/naughty-nice-sex-toy-britain |url-status=live }}
Retail
Lovehoney has more than 400 own brand products, including the Lovehoney Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator (the first winner of Lovehoney's Design A Sex Toy competition). Sub-brands owned by Lovehoney include BASIC Sex Toys, Bondage Boutique, Death By Orgasm, Pin Ups, Shag Factory, Swoon, VibraExciter and a range of sex toys developed with Tracey Cox.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}
Lovehoney Ltd holds the official licence to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products based on the Fifty Shades trilogy by E. L. James. This includes the Fifty Shades of Grey Official Pleasure Collection and Fifty Shades of Grey Sensual Care Collection. Lovehoney also holds the official licence to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products inspired by Bettie Page.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}
Notes and references
- {{cite news| title = Starting out| work=The Telegraph| publisher=Telegraph Media Group| date = 28 August 2005| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2005/08/29/cbstar29.xml| accessdate = 21 February 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- {{cite news | last = Hunt| first = Justin| title = Good vibrations|work=The Guardian |location=UK| publisher=Guardian News and Media| date = 29 April 2004| url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2004/apr/29/businesssolutionssupplement5| accessdate = 21 February 2008}}
External links
- [https://www.lovehoney.co.uk/ Lovehoney UK Official site]
- [https://www.lovehoney.com/ Lovehoney US Official Site]
- [https://www.lovehoney.com.au/ Lovehoney AU Official Site]
- [https://www.sexplore.co.uk/ Sexplore UK Official Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430164048/https://sexplore.co.uk/ |date=30 April 2021 }}
Category:Retail companies established in 2002
Category:Internet properties established in 2002
Category:Online retailers of the United Kingdom