Always: Account Management Intern
Saatchi & Saatchi NY '22 Summer Internship Project
Brand Background:
Always has been innovating and improving the quality of menstruators' health since 1984. The brand is known for producing sanitary pads and other Menstrual hygiene products. Always is also recognized for their social impact work, such as the #LikeAGirl campaign and #EndPeriodPoverty. In addition, the brand works to ensure no one loses confidence because of their gender or period.
The Ask:
Create a campaign to combat the stigma behind periods.
The Problem:
Period-shaming worldwide hinders development and deeply impacts self-confidence of menstruators.
The Solution:
Include non-menstruators into the conversation.
Context:
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58% of women have felt a sense of embarrassment simply because they were on their period.
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85% of young women agree that they would feel more confident if they saw people talking about them openly.
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Nearly 3 out of 4 women believe boys and men need to be involved.
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72% of boys are never taught about menstruation.
Survey responses when asked to:
"Recall a time you've associated your period with shame or embarrassment."
"I started once at school, and a male teacher wouldn’t let me go to the nurse when I found out. I didn’t want to say in front of class why I needed to go."
"My ex-boyfriend was grossed out by my period and wouldn’t even say the word but instead would say: are you red?"
"My dad always says it’s gross and to not talk about it if my sisters or I mention it."
Realization:
Menstruation is the only blood not born from violence, yet it’s the only one that disgusts people the most.
The Opportunity:
If people can accept blood born from violence in movies & TV, they can accept nonviolent blood from periods.
Target Audience:
Non-menstruators
Persona:
Ryan has recently started college and is in his first serious relationship. When he isn't playing Call of Duty or studying for class, you can catch him watching his favorite genre of movies- horror.
Since being in a serious relationship, Ryan has noticed he doesn't know how to talk about periods with his girlfriend. Of course, he wants to help her, but the topic of periods has always been taboo for him and his friends.
The Idea:
Use the content non-menstruators are currently exposed to and desensitize them to period blood. Ultimately changing current perceptions of periods. "Don't Be Afraid Of Period Blood" challenges our target to start conversations with menstruators.
This is a 360 campaign that includes out-of-home ads, pause ad placements, social media challenges, :30 commercial spots, and experiential activation.
Horror movie trailer or Always commercial?
The viewer will be led to believe they are watching a horror trailer but then be surprised to learn the blood they saw on the spot was simply period blood, igniting a conversation through the element of shock factor.
Out of Home:
Strategically placed out of home ads located in high traffic areas such as, public restrooms, movie theaters, and billboards.
Pause ad placements:
The best way to reach our audience is directly from the source: during a violent/horror TV show or movie they are streaming. Hulu, HBOMax, and Peacock all have dynamic pause ad capabilities. The beauty of this technology is that the ads can be relevant to whichever show is being streamed.
Halloween Ends Partnership:
To ensure the target market will start a conversation about periods, Always will launch a social media challenge surrounding the hype of Michael Myer’s last movie, "Halloween Ends."
Social Media Challenge:
Challenge for non-menstruators to show they aren’t scared of blood by purchasing Always pads and sharing a video or screen shot of them telling a menstruator in their life about their purchase.
The winner will be selected on Oct 1st and will receive a trip for 2 to the LA premiere of "Halloween Ends."
Experiential Activation:
Nightmare on Main St. Haunted House Gallery
This is a pop-up haunted attraction located in a high traffic area in NYC. From the outside, it will look like a haunted house that people frequent in the fall.
Upon entrance, they will walk through the rooms of a house, but not a haunted one. Instead, they will see commonplace areas where period blood might stain.
The experience will fake people out and get them to realize that period blood isn’t so bad–in fact, it’s much more tame than what they came to see!
Measures of Success:
Based on Always #LikeAGirl Campaign
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45m+ views; viral video globally.
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600+ earned media placements and 2m+ media impressions in the first two months.
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Always Twitter follows tripled in the first three months; Always Youtube Channel subscribers grew 1330%
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115,000 #NotScaredOfBlood tweets in the first two months, including many celebrities.
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Higher-than-average lift in brand preference; claimed purchase intent grew more than 30% among our target.
By using the content non-menstruators are currently exposed to, we are desensitizing them to period blood. Changing current perceptions of periods.
"Don't Be Afraid Of Period Blood" challenges our target to start conversations with menstruators.
