LONDON—A controversial ad campaign from pleasure products manufacturer Hot Octopuss has gone live in New York and online.
The ad—titled Show Stigma The Finger—tackles everyday sexual stigmas in connection with its new finger vibe, DiGiT. Named Show Stigma The Finger, the campaign stars six defiant activists shedding their clothes and giving the middle finger to stigmas and prejudices they have each faced, including racism, body shaming, ageism and homophobia.
“There’s never been a campaign that so brazenly reveals sexual stigmas women face every day, and yesterday we were delighted to see people supporting us online with it, sharing their own stories of sexual stigmas and stereotypes they’re fighting,” said Julia Margo, co-founder and chief operating officer of Hot Octopuss. “At the same time, we’re proud to unveil our most exciting toy yet, which mirrors the relentlessness of our activists—DiGiT. This revolutionary finger toy gifts users with attainable, powerful pleasure. We believe sex toys are another way in which we can begin to chip away at societal barriers standing in the way of healthy and happy sex lives.”
The company collaborated with world-renowned multi-disciplinary artist Aleksandra Karpowicz to execute Show Stigma The Finger. Spearheading the campaign’s casting process, Karpowicz was overwhelmed with the influx of applicants. In the end, six women were selected from the hundreds who came forward to join the movement against stigma. Of the masses, Emelle (31), Lori (56), Mary (50), Raj (52), Sophia (34) and Victoria (33) are the faces behind the fingers, rebelling against homophobia, ageism, ableism, colorism, body shaming and transphobia, respectively.
The campaign—which was banned by ad authorities but went live at one New York location and online yesterday—shows the true power of just one finger. The campaign has rallied global social media support to break down prejudices and stereotypes standing in the way of women achieving healthy and happy sex lives, a mission the brand has fought tirelessly towards since 2011.
DiGiT boasts five speeds of satisfaction with just a flick of the finger. For every DiGiT purchased during the course of the campaign, Hot Octopuss will donate 10 percent of profits to charities chosen by the activists featured in the Show Stigma The Finger campaign. Close to their hearts, these charities are: Human Rights Campaign, Little People of America, SAGE, Race Forward, Project HEAL, National Center for Transgender Equality and Human Rights Campaign. Retailers can purchase DiGiT by emailing [email protected] while customers can do so via the Show Stigma The Finger website: ShowStigmaTheFinger.com.
Those inspired by the Show Stigma The Finger campaign are encouraged to join the movement online and give the finger to unfair fights with stereotypes, stigmas and prejudices they have faced in their lives via the hashtag #ShowStigmaTheFinger on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The campaign will live at 1st Park, off Houston Street in Downtown Manhattan, until the end of the year.
Hot Octopuss believes everyone deserves to enjoy sex to the fullest and is no stranger to unconventional campaigns. Masterminds behind The Changing Room—the world’s first orgasm pop-up shop – and NYC’s ‘GuyFi’ public stress relief booth—Show Stigma The Finger is the latest installment designed to kickstart important conversations about socially created sex norms and stigmas.
To learn more about the activists and the campaign, visit ShowStigmaTheFinger.com.
