The Lovers' Guide

The Lovers’ Guide is a sex and relationships advice brand, produced by Lifetime Productions International Ltd, which launched with the release of the first Lovers’ Guide video in 1991. Presented by the sexologist Dr Andrew Stanway, and produced by Robert Page (Lifetime Group) and William Campbell,this became the only non-fiction film to top the UK video charts; it sold 1.3million copies in the UK and went into 13 languages and 22 countries around the world. The release caused controversy. While the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) granted the title an 18 certificate, which we would now understand to be a license for general UK distribution, this was technically merely advisory and the producer, Robert Page, faced charges of obscenity, which were subsequently dropped.

The Lovers’ Guide is distinct for using explicit video material to illustrate the instructional points being made. While the explicit nature of the visual content would usually warrant an R18 certificate in the UK, restricting sales to licensed sex shops, all Lovers’ Guide videos and DVDs have been granted 18 certificates. The brand commands a considerable degree of respect. “Sexy, sensual, moral and responsible” is how one national UK newspaper, The Independent, summed up its approach.

Lovers’ Guide products have so far expanded to ten further DVDs, a book, an encyclopaedia, two CD-ROMs and cassettes and CDs of the soundtracks. It has also been shown on encrypted television. These have been produced, distributed and retailed with partners such as W.H. Smith, Woolworths, Carlton, Bloomsbury, Warners, Sony and Universal. The brand also has its own dedicated website.

Lovers’ Guide programmes

* The Lovers’ Guide, 1991
* The Lovers’ Guide: Making Sex Even Better, 1992
* The Lovers’ Guide: Better Orgasms, 1993
* The Lovers' Guide: How To Intensify Lovemaking, 1993
* The Essential Lovers’ Guide, 1995
* The Lovers' Guide To Sexual Ecstasy, 1996
* The Lovers' Guide: Secrets of Sensational Sex, 1999
* The Lovers' Guide: What Women Really Want, 2002
* The Lovers' Guide: Sexual Positions,2003
* The Lovers' Guide: Sex Play, 2004
* The Lovers' Guide: Satisfaction Guaranteed, 2005
* The Lovers' Guide To Sexual Creativity, 2007
* The Lovers' Guide Interactive, 2008

External links

* [http://www.loversguide.com/ The Lovers’ Guide ]

References

* http://www.metro.co.uk/metrosexual/article.html?in_article_id=85426&in_page_id=8
* http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=H2QGfcv4bdQ5ZCXTWpG1pW1yMqdMCpQX1qpykrSKJyLQ4GwGTqyv!-244658531?docId=5001519964
* http://www.therelationshipspecialists.com/team.htm
* [http://www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/media/bbfcdec.html BBFC background re sexual health education titles]