Today’s conversation made one thing very clear:
Sometimes the biggest risk for a brand… is trying to be something it’s not.
Because sitting down with Maria Hollins, CEO of Ann Summers, live from the Retail Technology Show 2026, the story wasn’t just about growth, channels, or expansion.
It was about identity.
And what happens when you lose it.
When Playing It Safe Backfires
Maria didn’t hesitate when asked about the brand losing its edge.
“We got a bit vanilla.”
Not by accident.
But by strategy.
As an adult retailer, Ann Summers faces real constraints from platforms like Google and Meta. Safe search settings limit visibility. Paid advertising options are restricted. Discovery becomes harder by default.
So the instinct was understandable:
Tone it down.
Be less overt.
Fit within the rules of the system.
But the result?
It didn’t unlock growth.
It diluted the brand.
And more importantly, it confused the customer.
The Cost of Blending In
Ann Summers was never meant to be subtle.
It built its reputation on boldness. On confidence. On pushing boundaries that other retailers wouldn’t touch.
Trying to soften that identity didn’t just fail to solve the platform problem.
It created a new one.
Customers no longer knew what the brand stood for.
And in retail, that is one of the fastest ways to lose momentum.
Because clarity converts.
Confusion doesn’t.
The Reset: Back to What Works
The turnaround didn’t come from a new channel or a new technology.
It came from a decision.
A reset.
A return to what made the brand successful in the first place.
“Why are we pretending to be something we’re not?”
That question changed everything.
Creative shifted. Messaging sharpened. The brand leaned back into its original voice.
And performance followed.
Not gradually.
Noticeably.
Operating in a Restricted Digital World
What makes this story more interesting is the environment Ann Summers operates in.
This is not a typical retail playing field.
- Organic search visibility is limited by default settings
- Paid media options are restricted
- Platform policies create constant friction
In other words, many of the standard growth levers are either weakened or unavailable.
So the brand has had to adapt.
One of the more effective strategies?
Leaning into influencers.
Not as a trend play, but as a necessity.
By partnering with creators who can speak freely on their own channels, Ann Summers finds a way to stay visible in places where traditional brand marketing cannot.
It is not a workaround.
It is part of the model.
AI, With Limits
Like many retailers, Ann Summers is exploring AI.
Testing it.
Applying it where it makes sense.
Product copy.
Marketing ideation.
Early use cases that drive efficiency without overcomplicating the business.
But even here, there are constraints.
Large language models, much like search and social platforms, have sensitivities around certain categories.
Which means the same challenges the brand faces in traditional digital channels are starting to show up in emerging ones.
Another reminder that technology is not a neutral playing field.
It comes with its own rules.
Growth, But With Discipline
On the expansion front, the strategy is equally measured.
The brand has already taken steps into the Middle East, with early success.
But broader international growth is not being rushed.
The EU presents logistical and regulatory complexity.
The US, while attractive, is competitive and costly to enter.
So the approach?
Start digital.
Test demand through cross-border shipping.
Understand what resonates.
Then scale with confidence.
It is a reminder that expansion today is less about speed and more about precision.
The Leadership Throughline
After navigating years of disruption, from pandemic pressures to economic shifts to global uncertainty, Maria distilled her leadership philosophy down to something simple:
“Be brave.”
And just as importantly:
Make decisions faster.
Because hesitation has a cost.
And in retail, that cost compounds quickly.
The Bigger Takeaway
This conversation was not just about one brand.
It was about a tension many retailers are facing right now.
The pressure to conform to platforms.
To optimize for algorithms.
To fit within increasingly narrow digital constraints.
But at some point, every brand has to decide:
Do you adapt your identity to fit the system?
Or do you build a strategy that protects what makes you different?
Ann Summers made its choice.
And the results speak for themselves.
The Bottom Line
Retail does not reward sameness.
It rewards clarity.
The brands that stand out are not the ones that play it safest.
They are the ones that know exactly who they are
and are willing to act like it.
Even when it is harder.
To catch more conversations from Retail Technology Show 2026 in London, follow Omni Talk Retail on LinkedIn or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage, and thank you to our listeners for joining us during the event.
Be careful out there,
Chris Walton and the Omni Talk team
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.