After weeks of rumors surrounding 19-year-old chess player Hans Niemann allegedly using anal beads to enhance his chances of winning in tournaments, a Nordic sex toy brand has created a reactive campaign in a clever move to tout its products.

A clever move from RFSU / Valtech Radon

Last month, Norwegian World No 1 chess champion Magnus Carlsen unexpectedly resigned while playing against American Hans Niemann in the sixth round of the Julius Baer Generation Cup and accused him of cheating. Speculation began, and a strange rumor spread when a Reddit post suggested that Niemann could have used a sex toy to cheat.

The story was picked up by the international press, with countless articles speculating the methods Niemann might have used to his advantage.

It prompted pleasure brand RFSU to create a billboard and social media campaign to run in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark that it hopes will “return the butt plug to its rightful position – the hero.”

In the image, a butt plug has been placed on top of a chess board and the cheeky copy reads: ‘This isn’t cheating. It’s a winning move.’

“Finally, sex toys get their well-deserved time in the spotlight,” said Anette Otterström, Nordic communication and brand manager at RFSU AB. “However, we want to nuance the cheating accusations, since sex toys are incredible shortcuts to get people on top of their game in bed.”

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Creative and production: Valtech Radon

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