Agent Provocateur’s Men-Only Lingerie Parties

Agent Provocateur, the opulent lingerie brand, has ruffled some feathers with their latest promotional escapade.  In a series of events leading up to Valentine’s Day, Agent Provocateur has partnered with the private equity group 3i to host some men-only preview “presentations.”  The hush-hush events are targeted at investment bankers and give the securely wealthy a chance to brush elbows (amongst other body parts) with lingerie models.

The obvious poor timing of targeting bankers during a recession that the financial sector helped produce has caused some backlash, but the real criticism has come from the men-only invitations.  The company defended their policy for these parties by arguing “there were three female-only events before Christmas.”

Wherever opinions fall, there is no denying the intentions of the brand to push the limit of innuendo in advertising.  The latest campaign includes a racy ad entitled “Love Me Tender…Or Else,” in which a frustrated young lady punishes her overworked boyfriend by performing a scantily clad lap dance in his office and socking him in the face.  Despite living on the bleeding edge of censorship, Agent Provocateur has been engaging impressively with fans through internet exposure and social media.  Their network includes an active twitter account and blog, something still rare for a fashion company.

[via Brand Republic]