The Scottish Government
Challenging period stigma with the Scottish Government
2022
84 news items
6,000 clicks
The challenge
Talking about periods should be as normal as having them. But, despite the fact that at any given time, 800 million people are menstruating, the topic has long since been taboo.
The Scottish Government needed help to break down the embarrassment and stigma surrounding periods. Focussing on 16-24 years olds in Scotland, we set out to use social media and traditional media to drive positive awareness of Scotland’s work to tackle period stigma.
The solution
We created the ‘Talk Periods’ campaign, encouraging our audience to drop the euphemisms and start talking openly about periods.
Using an influencer-first approach, we worked with ambassadors to share personal anecdotes and start conversations on Instagram using the hashtag #TalkPeriods.
The women’s teams at the Scottish FA and Scottish Rugby Union joined the cause, with players sharing grippingly honest video content.
The campaign was complemented by bespoke artwork from illustrator Kitty Pressland, playfully portraying euphemisms like ‘Aunt Flo’ and ‘Time of the Month’.
The illustrations were unveiled at a Talk Period event hosted by Miss Scotland 2019, Keryn Matthew, which brought together young people, key stakeholders, influencers and media.
The outcome
The Talk Period campaign over-delivered. Helping to raise awareness of an overlooked issue.
The campaign received 84 pieces of coverage in online and print media outlets, 6,000 people clicked through from influencers’ to the Talk Periods Instagram page and overall we achieved a reach of 275,000, surpassing our target by 83%.
Our work was recognised at the Marketing Society Star Awards 2021, receiving a Gold Marketing in Society award.
As an agency run by women, we were extra delighted to support this vital cause.
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