Women confront The Uncomfortable Truth 
in Durex campaign

Durex, the world’s #1 sexual wellbeing brand, has unveiled the latest instalment of its long-running Let’s Lube campaign to destigmatise female sexual discomfort. 

The Uncomfortable Truth, the follow-up to 2019’s Ladies, Let’s Lube and 2020’s MOIST, aims to tackle misrepresentations of female sexual experience and challenge stereotypes, attitudes and misunderstandings around vaginal dryness and uncomfortable sex – highlighting its ubiquity and normalising the use of a simple solution, lubrication. 

Women can naturally feel a bit drier down there for up to two-thirds of their cycle, and the uncomfortable truth is that seven out of ten women have experienced discomfort during sex. The majority of women who use lube in the UK say that sex feels better but only one third of women said they would be likely to reach for lubes as a solution for uncomfortable sex. 

The Uncomfortable Truth takes on unrealistic and misleading depictions of sex and the female sexual experience in the media, as well as common misconceptions including that sex should naturally feel good every time, women are naturally “wet” 24/7 and that dryness is only ever a symptom of menopause. It also challenges women to be honest with themselves, to admit when sex feels a bit ‘meh’ and, rather than ignore or put up with it, to act on their natural need for a little lube to enjoy better sex.

At the heart of the campaign, devised by creative agency Havas London, is a playfully knowing, fourth wall-breaking film featuring everyday stories of female sexual discomfort… and plenty an exasperated look. Choice scenes include a woman being shh’d as she points out that sex doesn’t always feel like it looks in the movies, another revealing that it’s not always oohs and ahhs as she tries to enjoy a steamy shower with her girlfriend, and a woman masturbating – or rather, trying to, as she highlights the truth: that all women can get naturally drier days. 

The spot which promotes Durex’s Naturals lube range, including a new lubricated condom designed specifically for people with vaginas in mind – ends with another truth: that sex feels better with lube. It urges women to get comfortable with the truth, and to get comfortable with lube.

It was created by Rosie May Bird Smith and Amy-Rose Lynch at Havas London, with the film directed by Alicia MacDonald – best known for Netflix/Channel 4 drama series Pure and her work for brands including McDonald’s, Nescafé and McVitie’s. It was shot through Missing Link Films, a London-based production company committed to diversity and inclusion, which boasts a gender-balanced roster of directors and crew.