Now THIS Is a Kickass Campaign. "Period."

A month ago, I read a NY Times' article discussing Kotex's new advertising campaign for its new line "U by Kotex" and was immediately in love. This campaign skewers many stereotypes in the world of feminine product advertising and makes fun of the types of commercials that many companies (including Kotex) have done.

Aside from the snarky print ads and tongue-in-cheek commercials, this campaign resonates with me because it "calls a spade, a spade." The monthly situation that women deal with hasn't (in my mind) been glamorous since the 50s. In fact, in college, I wrote a paper that examined the intersection between health behavior/consumer behavior/product development and marketing, and my topic dealt with periods and birth control.

This is a great example of a company observing health behavior/attitudes and altering their product line/advertising to match that. The U by Kotex website features statistics (like the ones below) related to health attitudes in young women and definitely make a case for this bold campaign.

• 83% of girls are embarassed to talk about their periods with their parents
• 50% of girls wish they knew more about their period

The website also allows young women the opportunity to spoof traditional feminine care ads, ask questions, share their stories, and hear from a team of health and peer experts. Folks can also sign a “Declaration of Real Talk,” and take a vow to reject the pressure that society places on women discouraging us from speaking out about our bodies. For every person that signs, Kotex will donate $1 to Girls for a Change, a nonprofit that pairs urban girls with professional women to encourage social change.

This whole campaign is change that I can believe in. Period.