Queer-Led Wave Propels HOWL to Crowdfunding Victory
HOWL has officially reached its crowdfunding goal of £370,000, thanks to overwhelming support from the queer community and influential allies like drag icon Bimini. With the campaign now moving into overfunding, HOWL’s rise signals not just a brand success but a powerful cultural moment.
Since evolving from a Queer Rave to a sexual wellness brand with founder Samuel Douek at the helm, HOWL has quickly captivated a new generation of pleasure-seekers with its premium lubricants. HOWL is more than a product, it’s a movement. By fusing sexual wellness innovation with radical queer joy, inclusive events and sex-positive education, HOWL has built a fiercely loyal community that’s helping shape its future. This campaign marks more than just a fundraiser, it’s an entry point for LGBTQ+ individuals to learn about investment and take ownership of the brands that represent them
What’s more, this has aptly come during Pride Month. Whilst many brands have held back on pride campaigns and LGBTQ+ support in line with rising conservatism and the clamp down on trans rights across the West, it’s a bold feat for a queer founded company to hit its fundraising targets and be so loud and visible. Fronted by Drag Race royalty Bimini, the crowdfunding campaign soared to 92% of its target in just two weeks and hit 100% soon after, fuelled by grassroots support and community buzz.
Founder Samuel Doeuk says, “Overwhelmed doesn’t cut it. We believe in our brand, but to know so many others feel the same and want to be a part of HOWL is a dream come true.”
“HOWL is so much more than just a personal lubricant; it’s a movement designed to dismantle shame, champion pleasure, and build community through great products and incredible experiences that celebrate queer joy and sexual liberation.”
From hosting sell-out LGBTQ+ raves and kink-positive events to attracting attention from retailers like Selfridges and collaborating with pop royalty like Jade Thirlwall, Howl is proving that there’s serious demand for a brand that puts pleasure and inclusivity front and centre. The support they have received from the crowdfunding further solidifies the gap in the market for this new cutting-edge brand.
Commenting on the brand mission and fundraising campaign, the drag superstar said: “We’re never taught to invest, especially as working-class queer people, yet that’s exactly how we break into – and take over – the corporate sphere. Supporting queer-owned businesses like HOWL isn’t just smart; it’s revolutionary. Until we dismantle the patriarchy, the most rock-and-roll move is to use capitalism against itself and fund our own liberation.”
For more information on the brand, or to still get involved in the crowdfunding campaign, visit:https://europe.republic.com/howl/sections/key-information or contact samuel@howlworldwide.com.
