MUMBAI, INDIA — When boys are told to ignore periods and that it’s none of their business, they grow up into men – husbands, fathers, grandfathers – who are uncomfortable talking about it, thus perpetuating the stigma around periods. With the message of including boys in the menstruation conversation, this Daughter’s day, feminine hygiene brand Stayfree has launched a campaign to encourage parents to talk to their sons about periods.
The socially-relevant evocative new film builds on Stayfree’s award-winning campaigns from 2020 and 2021, “It’s just a Period,” and stands as a testament to the brand’s mission to normalize period conversations in India.
“Stayfree set about to normalize period conversations to create a world where no girl feels embarrassed of periods. The campaign #itsjustaperiod started this journey two years back. This year, Stayfree urges parents to talk to their sons and tell them it’s just a period. When boys too are part of the conversation, we can truly create a period-friendly world. Having an open dialogue and addressing a child’s curiosity about periods can help us build a generation that is free of societal shame around menstruation,” said Manoj Gadgil, vice president marketing of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, India.
Men having been kept away from the menstruation conversation for generations, think of periods as a women’s secret, unsure of their role, and choosing to make themselves unavailable because they don’t know how to offer the much-needed support. Stayfree has long been involved in all aspects of normalizing periods. These efforts include educational partnerships, promoting best practices for Menstrual Hygiene Management, and encouraging open conversations on the subject, by the people who matter the most to the young girl – her family.
This new Stayfree film, conceptualized by creative agency DDB Mudra, directed by Shobha Mohapatra and produced by Priyank Misra of Klture Studios, aims to positively change the narrative of shame and silence around periods.
Pallavi Chakravarti, creative head – West at DDB Mudra said, “At what point do children find out that periods are to be spoken about in hushed tones or preferably not spoken about at all? When we say a girl is ashamed about her period, do we ever wonder why? Or stop to think of whom she is hiding from? These were the questions we sought answers to, as we took the platform idea of ‘It’s Just A Period’ into another year. Stayfree has long believed that normalizing the conversation involves everyone, not just one section of society. It was this belief coupled with our explorations that led us to the next chapter in our campaign – this Daughter’s Day, talk to your sons.”
To walk the talk, Stayfree has also launched a microsite to help parents understand how to talk to their sons about periods and urges them to take a pledge to teach their sons about menstruation.
CREDITS:
Brand: Stayfree
Agency: DDB Mudra
Brand Team: Manoj Gadgil, Kashyap Gala, Anagha Bhojane, Arpita Kalubarme, Radhika Hingolikar
Creative: Rahul Mathew, Pallavi Chakravarti, Neeraj Kanitkar, Manish Darji, Neha Shefali, Narendra Patil, Shreya Acharya, Jaiee Thakur, Targun Kaur
Business: Nishant Saurabh, Gaurav Magotra, Dharal Goshalia, Priyanshu Dikshit, Spriha Walia
Strategy: Anand Murty, Sanchari Chakrabarty, Atreyi Nag
Production House: Klture Studios
Producer: Priyank Misra
Director: Shoba Mohapatra
Production Team: Sanjeep Pradhan, Aman Pant, Veljon Noronha, Bashab Bhattacharjee
