When people think of Royal Ascot, they think of glamorous fashion, extravagant hats and one of the most iconic events in the British social calendar.
This year, So Divine brought something a little different to Ladies' Day.
As a sexual wellness brand, we're no strangers to challenging conventions. While many brands can rely on traditional advertising to reach new audiences, sexual wellness companies often face significant restrictions across social media, digital advertising and mainstream marketing channels.
That's why creativity has always been at the heart of what we do.
This year, we took that creativity to Royal Ascot, combining fashion, humour and a powerful message about sexual wellness to create one of our most memorable brand activations to date.
The result? Thousands of conversations, countless photographs, social media buzz and national press coverage in The Sun.
A Royal Ascot Fashion Statement With a Difference
For the campaign, So Divine partnered with renowned sex and relationship expert Dr Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, best known for her appearances on Celebs Go Dating, alongside journalist and broadcaster Georgie Culley.
Joining them were members of the So Divine team, all dressed in striking red outfits to create a cohesive visual presence throughout the racecourse.
Royal Ascot has long been synonymous with statement headwear. Every year, racegoers compete to showcase the most creative, elegant and eye-catching designs.
For our Ascot activation, we created hats inspired by strawberries. But hidden amongst the designs was a subtle surprise – our bestselling Strawgasm vibrator cleverly incorporated into the headpieces.
From afar, the hats looked like stylish race-day fashion accessories. Up close, they revealed a playful nod to pleasure and sexual wellness.
The reactions were exactly what we'd hoped for: smiles, laughter, curiosity and, most importantly, conversation.
Why We Brought Sexual Wellness to Royal Ascot
At So Divine, our mission is simple: to make sexual wellness more accessible, empowering and stigma-free.
While attitudes towards pleasure and wellbeing have evolved significantly in recent years, conversations around sexual wellness can still feel taboo for many people.
We believe that pleasure should be discussed with the same openness as any other aspect of health and wellbeing. By bringing that conversation into mainstream cultural moments, we can help normalise the subject and encourage people to feel more comfortable talking about it.
Royal Ascot provided the perfect setting. It's a celebration of individuality, confidence and self-expression – values that align closely with everything So Divine stands for.
The Hats That Got Everyone Talking
The activation quickly attracted attention from fellow racegoers, photographers and journalists.
Throughout the event, people stopped to take photos, ask questions and share the hats on social media. What started as a playful fashion statement soon became a wider conversation about confidence, pleasure and women's wellbeing.
The campaign ultimately secured coverage in The Sun, introducing So Divine to thousands of new people and helping us continue our mission of making sexual wellness part of everyday conversation.
More Than Just a PR Stunt
While the bespoke hats certainly generated attention, this campaign was about much more than creating a memorable photo opportunity.
At So Divine, we believe sexual wellness deserves a place in mainstream culture and everyday conversation. Through our products, education and campaigns, we're committed to helping people feel confident exploring pleasure and prioritising their wellbeing.
Royal Ascot provided a unique platform to bring those conversations into a space where they might not traditionally be expected.
The result wasn't just visibility for our brand it was genuine engagement, meaningful conversations and an opportunity to challenge outdated perceptions in a positive and approachable way.
Why Creativity Matters in Sexual Wellness Marketing
Unlike many consumer brands, sexual wellness companies face significant restrictions when it comes to advertising.
From social media platforms limiting content to paid advertising policies that often exclude products in our category, reaching new audiences isn't always straightforward. Traditional marketing routes that many brands take for granted are often unavailable to us.
That's why creativity is so important.
At So Divine, we're constantly looking for innovative ways to start conversations, increase awareness and bring sexual wellness into mainstream culture. Rather than relying solely on conventional advertising, we focus on creating memorable moments that people genuinely want to talk about, share and engage with.
Our Royal Ascot Ladies' Day activation was a perfect example of that approach.
By combining fashion, humour, expert voices and a culturally relevant event, we were able to create a campaign that generated organic conversation, social engagement and national media coverage, all while staying true to our mission of making sexual wellness more open, accessible and stigma-free.
Sometimes thinking outside the box isn't just an advantage - it's a necessity.
Continuing the Conversation
The response to our Royal Ascot activation reminded us why we do what we do.
When people feel comfortable talking about pleasure, confidence and wellbeing, barriers begin to disappear. Whether through innovative products, educational content or memorable campaigns, So Divine will continue finding new ways to challenge outdated perceptions and encourage open conversations.
And if those conversations happen to start with a very unusual Ascot hat, even better.
Read the full feature
You can read The Sun's coverage of our Royal Ascot hats and the reactions they generated here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39470124/sex-toys-ascot-the-sun-sexpert-hats/
