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<ul><li>On <keyword id="2874806" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstrual-Hygiene-Day">Menstrual Hygiene Day</keyword>, <keyword id="11337635" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="boondh-cups">Boondh Cups</keyword> and Schbang are asking an important question: If blood, pain, and hygiene have never had a gender, why should menstruation?</li><li>Considering that menstruation in India is already a taboo subject, non-cis-gender-women menstruators are tabooed even further and their menstrual struggles.</li><li>Boondh Cups’ campaign creates awareness on making menstruation in India truly gender-inclusive, petitioning <keyword id="3516695" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstrual-products">menstrual products</keyword> and hygiene brands to replace “women” with “menstruators” on all their branding and communication.</li></ul>Menstruation has historically been a taboo subject in India. In recent times, while a lot of conversation has driven the discourse out into a space of open discussion, most of it has been led by cisgender women. The highly feminised language around menstruation has caused thousands of non-cisgender-women menstruators to wake up and still feel incorrect about a physiological process that doesn’t define their identity. To tackle the lack of representation in this space, Schbang For Good, the impact communication division of Schbang, &amp; Boondh Social Foundation, a social enterprise working in menstrual health along the verticals of menstrual literacy, advocacy, activism, policy, programming and sustainable menstrual products, collaborated this Menstrual Hygiene Day, to shed light on the experiences of menstruating people who do not identify as cis-woman and highlight the shared struggles of every menstruator. <div type="image" title="Boondh x SFG_Krishna(not final)" msid="83031670" hostid="261"></div> Thousands of menstruators in India who identify as transgender have been systemically rendered invisible from the conversation around menstruation and the creative campaign featuring three menstruators acknowledges their stories and their struggles. Conceptualised and executed by Schbang For Good, #UngenderMenstruation is India’s first-ever gender-inclusive menstruation campaign. It aims to make menstruation in India truly gender-inclusive, petitioning to menstrual products and hygiene brands to replace “women” with “menstruators” on all their branding and communication. The visual representation of the campaign has been crafted to create a conscious act of calling menstruators, “menstruators." <div type="image" title="Boondh x SfG_ SonalFeedPost" msid="83031690" hostid="261"></div> Commenting on the campaign, <a href="https://in.linkedin.com/in/riya-parekh-3a4215105">Riya Parekh</a> (she/her), Group Creative Head, Schbang for Good said, “As Creative professionals in the Advertising Industry, we’re constantly shaping the narrative of our culture. Therefore, it is our responsibility to write stories that do more good to humanity, than bad. In India, menstruation has always meant a cis-gendered woman in white pants conquering the world with blue liquid dripping on cotton strips. However, we know that isn’t the entire picture. Menstruators are more than feminine over-achievers and the menstrual experience is authentically painful and pure. With Schbang for Good, we’re working towards building communication that doesn’t put people into boxes, but questions the need for one. By starting India’s first gender-inclusive menstruation conversation, we hope one day every young teenager encountering their first stain feel confident and represented in the narrative, without the crippling feeling of body dysphoria or guilt.” <a href="https://in.linkedin.com/in/sonaljain09">Sonal Jain</a> (They/Them), Founder, Boondh Social Foundation says, “I look at menstrual health as an indicator of good hormonal health. There are months I like my period, try to sync it with the moon cycle etc, and there are months when I hate it, especially given I live with PMDD, a menstrual-mental health disorder. Nothing I do in life is from a gendered lens - my role in family, society, or my choice of romantic and sexual partners. Can't imagine a bodily process being gendered - it sounds ridiculous to me. I sigh, and move on. However, I know it's really distressing for some trans &amp; enby folks I know and I want media, society and the govt to do better, to minimise dysphoria among the people AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) who are not women.” Boondh Social Foundation and Schbang for Good have also started a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/all-menstruators-ungender-menstruation?recruiter=451281366&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition&amp;use_react=false" data-type="tilCustomLink">petition </a>on starting an open conversation on menstruation in India, urging the audience to <keyword id="11337632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ungender-menstruation">ungender menstruation</keyword>. "To become the leaders of change, and ensure that NO person who menstruates feels like their identity and their menstrual experience has been denied, unrecognised, or trivialised ever again, only due to our words, and our limited representation," reads the petition's description.

Menstrual Hygiene Day: India’s first-ever gender-inclusive menstruation campaign is here

<ul><li>RIO was the first brand in India to break the cycle of showing blue blood in TV commercials. </li><li>Globally, the advertising watchdogs of only 2 countries have allowed showing the red. ASCI giving a go-ahead to finally representing period blood in TVCs is hopefully the beginning of a new era and a step in the right direction. </li><li>We spoke to Kartik Johari, Vice-President, Nobel Hygiene and Shweta Purandare, Secretary General, ASCI and Brand Experts to understand what kind of complaints did the two receive from consumers, how challenging was it to break an age-old taboo, what kind of research went behind the ad, what role ASCI as an industry body can play in driving change and what the feminine hygiene industry needs to talk about in their ads. </li></ul>Over the years, most women have grown up wondering why menstrual products represent period blood with a weird, clinical blue liquid and why do women always look so happy in commercials? Many Multinational Corporations (MNCs) have misrepresented periods. They show women forgetting about menstrual pains, (which leave me with no strength to even leave my bed) once they use a sanitary napkin. While for some women it is not as painful, (many can dance, sing, play sports while bleeding as shown in commercials), there are many other women who are dealing with very complicated periods and conditions like PCOD and PCOS. There is no representation or mention of period cramps in the commercials we have grown up watching at all. For someone who has no knowledge of periods, these ads can make them believe that women bleed blue and periods are effortless. Besides seeing period blood on screen, periods in general are still taboo in India, making it an uncomfortable topic for people to discuss. However, brands have the authority to either drive change in our country, start that much-needed conversation or misrepresent periods, misinform teenagers and continue validating stigmatisation of menstruation. Nobel Hygiene’s RIO was the first brand in India that woke up to the challenge of breaking this decades-old patriarchal and misleading practice of using blue liquid in its commercials. Even its product packaging has a hint of red, unlike any other hygiene companies that usually use green or blue to denote they stand for ‘purity’ or ‘cleanliness.’ However, RIO’s advertisement wasn’t very welcomed in the country at first. A few consumers reached out to Advertising Standards Council India (ASCI) to lodge a complaint on the usage of blood shown in the commercial. <div type="Youtube" id="2bgM2Aak-3A" title="Make The Right Choice With RIO Heavy Duty Pads For Heavy Flow | Balloon TVC" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2bgM2Aak-3A/mqdefault.jpg"></div> “The complaints varied in nature but split into three buckets. One was people were simply shocked to see red blood on TV. Second bucket was ‘I saw this ad with my children. How am I supposed to explain this red blood on TV coming out from a balloon to my kids? Third bucket was women themselves feeling that everyone knows what periods are, why do you want to show it on TV? This one woman said that we don’t even discuss our lingerie size in public, how can you show something so private and intimate on TV,” shared Kartik Johari, Vice-President, Nobel Hygiene. ASCI asked RIO to stop the ad till the jury reached some sort of a decision. After reviewing the ad and getting a pulse of the market, ASCI decided to give the ad a go-ahead with a few minor modifications. Telling us what kind of modifications the brand was asked to make, Johari said, “We had a very understanding judge in the review process. He suggested only two changes. One, if we can tone down the blood in the end of the ad so we applied a monochrome filter towards the end so the impact of the red is minimised. Second, there was a very prominent image where we showed a blood drop which rests on the pad and is absorbed. The image was very striking. So the judge said if you make these changes, you will make the entire communication very palatable to the audience. We were more than happy to oblige because it left the overall message unharmed. It is a 100% step-forward.” RIO also made sure that the campaign was led by women to get their perspective and maintain authenticity. While getting women on-board for feminene hygiene products is quite obvious, it isn’t as obvious as you might think. Men continue to lead boardroom conversations and RIO refrained from making an advertisement from the male gaze. “We took special care to ensure our communication remained as authentic as possible. The entire creative was scripted by a woman, based on real narratives from women, directed and shot by a woman, and is being marketed by women. Additionally, 1000s of women have already applauded our product and messaging; we are proud to have brought this innovation for Indian ladies who receive no respite from Heavy Flow. We are sure that other players in the market are excited by this new paradigm, and we call upon everyone to take advantage of this exciting shift to educate and reconnect with their consumers,” said Johari. However, RIO’s ad doesn’t mention the word ‘period’ in its ad. Johri said it wasn’t a conscious decision to erase the word out. “I think what we did not want to do by saying the word period out loud is to try and build an association with the larger sanitary market that already exists. We wanted to establish ourselves very clearly as a specialist product which is a heavy flow pad for women who suffer from PCOD or menopause. It wasn’t a conscious decision to leave the word out, I didn’t even realise that this might be a contention. We tried to show whatever we had in our script with utmost honesty. A lot of the words which Radhika said were from our research study directly. The minute you say ‘heavy flow,’ women who suffer through that would relate to it,” said Johari. Johari told us that they found a need in the market which they wanted to address. He realised why women with PCOD and menopause needed special pads when he saw his wife struggling. On why they decided to launch their heavy flow product and ad with Apte, Johari said, “What these 20 years of advertising has done is force this very unfair expectation on women’s shoulders as if they don’t have enough responsibilities already. They expect women to be okay, do every other task while menstruating because it happens every month. ‘What is the big deal in it, this is very normal’ is what they said and this is a very wrong perspective and that’s what we were hoping to address with our ad.” Globally, the advertising watchdogs of only two countries have allowed showing the red. Many MNCs still refrain from changing the status quo and leaving their comfort zones. While ASCI doesn’t comment on particular ads, Shweta Purandare, ASCI Secretary General, gave us an insight into what role ASCI as an industry body plays in helping break taboos and how they review ads. Purandare said, “The number of complaints we receive is immaterial. It’s their validity we need to check. We are required to give the advertiser concerned a chance to share their stand, which is reviewed by an independent Consumer Complaints Council. We must keep in mind that things are evolving quickly - we can’t view advertising through the lens we used to 30 years ago." She added, “The younger generation wants the right information. So, whether it’s sanitary napkins or condoms, ASCI has been open and contemporary in its approach. Some people say lingerie ads shouldn’t be printed in newspapers, but it’s a product like any other - you need to show it to be able to sell it. The execution of the advertisement is critical - is it coming across as vulgar, for example? That’s something we take into account. Context is very important too. We also ensure that ads don’t denigrate a gender or look down upon people of colour.” This campaign from RIO marked the beginning of a new era and took a step in the right direction. It will create more conversations, to help bring about a revolution in Female Hygiene in India, where only 50% women have access to female hygiene products and almost 100% approach menarche unprepared. We also spoke to experts to find out how far the ad industry has come in accepting menstruation and breaking the stigmas around it. Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting, said, “While the brand may have felt that it is important to show reality as it is and break existing codes of communication in the category, advertising or any form of communication is more impactful when done in an appealing manner, without of course, losing focus on impact of messaging. And messaging impact is not necessarily achieved only when the actual reality is showcased. To achieve messaging impact, it is important to speak to the consumers' intelligence and the consumer is able to process metaphorical communication just as effectively, and does so in a manner that makes the communication more appealing, more memorable and more effective. Metaphorical should not be confused with shying away from the problem - it's just a more intelligent, sophisticated, evolved and therefore more intelligent way of showing the problem. Further, for any brand, TV advertising is not the only form of communication. The route that RIO has taken in the ad, could well have been taken via other elements of the Marketing Plan such as Activation, small group education which allows for discussion, interaction, Q&amp;As. That would have helped the brand to balance appeal with directness in communication.” Srishty Chawla, Founding Partner, One Source said, "I appreciate and support the change to mentality and society RIO is trying to bring about with this commercial. Breaking incorrect perceptions around menstrual blood being dirty is not just crucial, it's an imperative. This ad is a step in the right direction of destigmatising menstruation and period blood, by talking about them and showing blood for what it is - red in colour. Brands need to take a leaf out of this book, and understand that by showing the blue gel for period blood, they're furthering the stigma. I mean, human blood isn't blue. We aren't cold-blooded. It is misleading! As is showing women in white pants, gleefully running around, with a menstrual pad on. That isn't how things work in real life. Periods are not happy. In most cases, they are messy, and painful. And as far as white pants go, I am terrified of even looking at whites during my period days, lest I stain them. I also noticed that Rio omitted the usage of the word ‘period’ in their ad, while it is clear that they are talking about periods. Why not just say it? Use the word. Break the taboo! Even without using those words, just by using red to signify blood, instead of blue to signify god knows what, I believe people will get shaken out of their comfort zones. Colours play a very important role in consumer perception and it is high time women-related communication uses empowering and bold colours! While new-age brands are taking risks and embracing change, in my opinion, larger brands also need to talk openly about, and break the stigma that is, menstruation.” Here is hoping that more companies join RIO, wake up and realise that blood has always been red and normalise talking about menstruation.

Are consumers ready to see period blood in red? RIO's relaunch of ad and ASCI’s nod on it proves they are

<ul class="summary-list"><li>When Nadya Okamoto was 16, she began her entrepreneurial journey in the reproductive-health space.</li><li>Today, she's a cofounder of August, a period-care brand that makes sustainable pads and tampons.</li></ul>When Nadya Okamoto was 16 years old, she began her entrepreneurial journey in the sexual- and reproductive-health space by cofounding a nonprofit devoted to <keyword id="11898456" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="period" source="Orion">period</keyword> care. "I want periods to be a global conversation," Okamoto told Insider. "That's why I chose to be in this space — to help eliminate that stigma and help menstruators feel empowered about their bodies."Today, as a 24-year-old, she's continuing her life's work through <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=CXdvtpdy0YuqBEPyR0_wPif2DcM_B8btll4fctrUO3MXahosmCAAQASC5VGDJxqmLwKTYD6ABmIT7qQHIAQHIA9ggqgRbT9AvIUmZAoJ8ktTp3Q97240ay_Cqmu9P6VouNsAMZGam8vXKQE5g9QRO2IfM4GEIXyFaiL4vUOmGYv5JqGpcv15FLpxe7FHJfaqaEn-c3Dvz_JaIuPoGztyHO8AE2ai249kDgAWQTogF24fGrDKgBmaAB9D7hNYCiAcBkAcBqAemvhuoB7masQKoB_PRG6gH7tIbqAf_nLECqAfK3BuoB9imsQKgCP__qASwCAHSCAwQAiCEATICgkA6AQCaCRlodHRwczovL3d3dy5pdHNhdWd1c3QuY28vsQkFwaS7Y6yQqbkJBcGku2OskKn4CQGYCwHgCwGqDAIIAbgMAegMBoIUDwgBEgthdWd1c3QgcGFkc4gUAcgU--eK7L-SosFE0BUBmBYB-BYBgBcBkhcJEgcIARADGNAD&amp;ae=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjr1Jnew8T4AhXplIkEHRHkBCsQ0Qx6BAgDEAE&amp;dct=1&amp;cid=CAASFeRo6UC0L43NaeUc0q-msyJLF6plbQ&amp;dblrd=1&amp;sival=AF15MEAE2VQxFxw8e4zwNjfWIZsNSuu0chvlHFUQxjhMALQsIu8fRQbA74jjXWylTC5L77hfBCJZpLDtryJP0S-x3vXBP5BnflsQAd79DHECr1MdwzmUcdaFobwsdf5Pr6oBqnXMdMZ_1H8URkHQV91Mxn63FH_HGLzXkXv5KJLB2wbeBM7-TcYHPq9GIo3wmdeJ0JhT84em&amp;sig=AOD64_1B0IxElMa-sInNwXmx6FYDpV4vMA&amp;adurl=https://www.itsaugust.co/%3Futm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dsearch%26utm_campaign%3Dbranded%26utm_term%3Dbrand">August</a>, a sustainable-period-product <keyword id="11897892" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="startup" source="Orion">startup</keyword>. Okamoto launched the business in January 2020 with her friend Nick Jain to address a gap in the menstrual-hygiene market by creating plastic-free, biodegradable, and leak-proof period products for all menstruators, especially <keyword id="12004390" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gen-zers" source="Orion">Gen Zers</keyword>. The company has booked $1 million in revenue since its launch, according to documentation verified by Insider. Most pads take 800 years to decompose, but August's pads take 12 months, Okamoto said. Additionally, the pads are made from 100% organic cotton and are plastic-free. For Gen Zers — a top concern for whom is the <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/2021-deloitte-global-millennial-survey-report.pdf">environment</a>, a 2021 survey by Deloitte found — the emphasis on <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> is one of the most attractive aspects of the brand."We both quickly came to the conclusion that there was something missing in this space," Jain told Insider. "There are certain spaces where young people are fundamentally more disenfranchised, and menstrual care is one of them." Okamoto's passion for the industry stemmed from her upbringing — growing up in New York City, she noticed how many people who menstruate didn't have access to the period care they needed.She cofounded the youth-focused nonprofit <a href="https://period.org/">Period</a> when she moved to Portland, Oregon, as a teenager. Under her leadership, the nonprofit distributed free menstrual-care products, like pads and tampons, to underserved communities in the city, such as single mothers and women from low-income backgrounds.Today, Period has built a national presence: It has hundreds of volunteers and college-campus chapters across the country, and last year, it helped cover over 3 million menstrual cycles through the free distribution of pads and tampons. Six years after creating Period, Okamoto hired an executive director to take the organization forward and left to create August, which is headquartered in New York City.Okamoto and Jain broke down how they created a successful brand in the menstrual-hygiene space, an area that is continuously being <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/20/well/sustainable-period-products.html">redefined</a> by younger generations. <div type="image" title="August products" height="1024" width="988" msid="92571110" hostid="261"></div><h2>A business built based on <keyword id="11974765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gen-z" source="Orion">Gen Z</keyword> customer feedback</h2>When Okamoto and Jain began discussing how they could fill the gap in period care — by creating more environmentally friendly and efficient pads and tampons — they turned to the wider Gen Z community to ask how to best serve menstruators' needs."In today's day and age, for a founder to really build a successful brand, you have to listen to your customers," Jain said. "When it comes to period care, most brands have failed to listen." Jain and Okamoto used the app <a href="https://geneva.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwquWVBhBrEiwAt1KmwsCE5WgSCZw6ToU7lnF2YjTdv76vX6ixV7IPD55QPsQkkYWazA3ArBoCuJMQAvD_BwE">Geneva</a>, an organized group chat, to get direct feedback from Gen Zers about what an ideal product would look like. The duo used their community — called August Inter Cycle and made up of a few hundred members — to ask questions about the product's design, marketing tactics, and events to host. Now, there are more than 3,200 members across the 12 chat rooms whom Jain and Okamoto communicate with regularly. Some members of August's eight-person team were found and hired through the app."Every decision that we made was made in conjunction with that community," Jain said.<div type="image" title="August pads" height="1024" width="988" msid="92571114" hostid="261"></div><h2>Showing period blood on TikTok was a win</h2>When August launched, Okamoto posted up to 100 videos a day on her <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nadyaokamoto?lang=en">TikTok</a> account to showcase the brand's unique approach to menstrual hygiene. "To me, the TikTok algorithm is like a lottery," she said. "The more lottery tickets you put in, the more chances you have of winning or, in this case, going viral." The frequency of her posting helped her quickly discover what the audience liked to see. She realized that most people enjoyed seeing her show <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nadyaokamoto/video/7025336660204227887?_t=8TWE8FKLPP4&amp;_r=1">period blood</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nadyaokamoto/video/7032479995465583918?_t=8TP01cHlJFb&amp;_r=1">put on pads in the bathroom</a>, and record <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nadyaokamoto/video/7001156419017903366?_t=8TP04OW1UFP&amp;_r=1">behind the scenes</a> of the company. These kinds of videos went viral and helped grow <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@itsaugustco?lang=en">August's</a> account, along with Okamoto's personal account. Now, she has 3.2 million followers on TikTok and posts about 30 times a day. Okamoto said that this social-media strategy was what drew more attention to August and persuaded more people to try the products. In fact, the first viral TikTok post drew 400,000 people to the company's website overnight, she said. She said that once people were on the website, most of them purchased <a href="https://www.itsaugust.co/shop">subscriptions</a> or contacted the company directly to learn what's unique about their brand."What I love the most is how many people we are able to get excited about periods," Okamoto said. "That's the win for me."

2 Gen Z entrepreneurs launched a sustainable-period-care startup that's booked $1 million in revenue. Here's how their strategy of posting 100 times a day on TikTok grew the business.

<ul><li>Here are the <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> that are fighting for menstrual hygiene awareness in India. </li><li>In India, while <keyword id="555572" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstruation">menstruation</keyword> is still taboo in several regions, a wave of change has been seen through Indian films and startups.</li></ul>In India, menstruation is still a taboo and women still fight many stigmas. From superstitions that keep them away from the kitchen or holy places, to traditions that restrict them to the household, <keyword id="45804" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="period">period</keyword> is still a tough subject in India. But a wave of change is coming in. Companies now allow ‘period days’ where women can take the day off if they suffer from pain while menstruating. The otherwise stereotypical movie business which stays away from relevant topics, welcomed movies on menstruation like Padman. The movie ‘Period. End of Sentence’, won an Oscar for the best documentary short film. The movie shows Indian women who come together to build accessible menstrual hygiene products. The Indian startup industry is not too far either with apps that help track periods to building products for women’s hygiene. On <keyword id="4584427" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-menstrual-hygiene-day">World Menstrual Hygiene Day</keyword>, here’s a look at Indian startups that are working on this topic. <keyword id="4606906" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nyra">Nyra</keyword> App Vivant is a B2B data driven healthcare startup based out of Singapore. On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the startup launched Nyra an app that can be used by women to track their period, fertility, ovulation, mood, lifestyle and physical activity. “In India it is estimated that around 23 million girls have dropped out of school due to menstruation and lack of awareness of women’s health issues. Nyra aims to help address this by giving women everywhere access to feminine health information and advice, and control over their feminine health journey. We have initially launched the app to include Hindi, but are actively looking to make the app available in other vernacular languages,” said Adrit Raha, CEO, Vivant. <keyword id="7326219" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sirona">Sirona</keyword> Gurugram-based PeeBuddy which has been working on women’s hygiene with its disposable, portable urination device for women has also launched Sirona, a range of products for menstrual hygiene. The products introduced by Sirona include herbal feminine pain relief patches, oxo-degradable disposal bags, tampons, reusable menstrual cups, panty liners etc. Sirona is already present in 150 outlets across Delhi-NCR through retailers. It plans to amplify its presence to 5 cities by FY21. FLOH FLOH is a feminine health and hygiene brand by Visionaari, a Delhi-based personal care startup. It has its own line of tampons, and recently also launched Crampfree – herbal period pain relief patches. “Since its inception, making sure women forget that they are on their period has been the core of FLOH’s ideology. As menstrual cramps affect most of the women out there, it was our natural progression to address this problem. Just like FLOH tampons, Crampfree will change the way women perceive their periods, helping them have a bloody good period,” said Gauri Singhal, Founder and CEO, Visionaari. Azah The organic wellness startup Azah produces and sells cotton sanitary pads. According to the company, these sanitary pads are fabricated with the finest organic cotton and do not contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine, dioxins, or artificial fragrances. The startup, which was founded by engineering graduates, Shashwat Diesh and Aqib Mohammed, in November 2018 had recently raised an angel investment of $200,000. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international-womens-day-indian-women-still-a-long-way-off-from-empowerment/articleshow/68313107.cms">Women’s day in numbers: 9 grim reminders that Indian women are still a long way off from empowerment</a>

In a country where menstruation is still a taboo, Indian startups are breaking stereotypes

<ul><li>The lack of <keyword id="584178" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="menstrual-hygiene">menstrual hygiene</keyword> has always been a challenge in India.</li><li>According to UNESCO and Whisper, 23 Million girls drop out of school due to lack of menstrual hygiene and awareness.</li><li>Ergo, P&amp;G’s Whisper is on a mission to raise awareness and educate girls on Menstrual Hygiene Management.</li><li>We catch up with Chetna Soni, Category Leader - Feminine Care, P&amp;G Indian sub-continent to understand the state of menstrual hygiene in India and how Whisper is working towards improving awareness among young girls in the country.</li><li>We also look at Whisper’s marketing campaigns over the years.</li></ul>For the longest time, the Indian society has treated menstruation as a taboo. The word ‘Period’ is usually uttered in hushed voices and years of social conditioning have built a culture of silence around what is a normal biological phenomenon. With young girls and women having limited access to menstrual education and basic sanitary care products, the concept of menstrual hygiene has also remained a challenge in India. And periods don’t stop for pandemics. In fact, lockdowns intensify the impact of household level taboos and stigmas on women -- making it more difficult to manage menstruation without shame and discomfort in confined spaces. In rural India, the unavailability of sanitary napkins coupled with unhygienic and crowded washrooms and toilets in their localities have worsened the situation for women. According to Menstrual Hygiene brand Whisper and UNESCO, the global pandemic has forced girls to abandon sanitary napkins for menstrual pads made of cloth, which has raised the spectre of a looming health hazard. Adding to the misery, the lack of menstrual hygiene education in India is also impacting 23 million girls dropping out of school. Throwing light on how the global pandemic has impacted menstruating people in rural India, Chetna Soni, Category Leader - Feminine Care, P&amp;G Indian sub-continent, said, “These unprecedented times have made it even more difficult to keep girls in school. The premature closure of schools due to the pandemic affected access to education, especially for girls from marginalized communities. This has made them even more vulnerable to dropping out of school completely. Many of these girls would receive pads for period management from school which stopped, leading to them using unhygienic period protection. According to UNESCO, 74 crore girls were disproportionately impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and it may further affect their return to school. Now more than ever, it is important we ensure girls have access to period protection and education. And support them in every way we can to protect their future.” So, to help these young girls in rural India stay in school during the pandemic, Whisper launched ‘Mobileshaala,’ a free phone-based learning platform. It worked with supporters like Soha Ali Khan, Dutee Chand and Bhumi Pednekar to spread awareness. The brand also donated more than 32 lakh pads to essential workers, women in shelter homes, women from migrant families and communities in need across India, in partnership with various State Government bodies and relief organisations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="State of menstrual hygiene in India during a global pandemic" text="State of menstrual hygiene in India during a global pandemic">State of menstrual hygiene in India during a global pandemic</cmsannotation> The global pandemic has taken up all our medical attention and resources. On the other hand, period poverty is a decades-old, silent pandemic that is getting worse for menstruating people in our country. This is a direct consequence of social stigma, lack of awareness and poor access to menstrual products. Shedding more light on the current state of menstrual hygiene in India, Soni shared, “Even today, menstrual hygiene is not considered a priority in India. Out of a total of ~40 crore menstruating women in India, less than 20% use sanitary pads. In urban areas, this number only goes up to 52%. This indicates that nearly half of even urban-based women use unhygienic methods for period protection, making them vulnerable to health issues. In our conversations with various young girls, we discovered that many of them prioritize beauty products but are not ready to spend a fraction of the amount on an essential like sanitary pads. Adoption of sanitary napkins is less than 20% in the country whereas adoption of cosmetics like lipstick is significantly higher at 65%. In addition, there is still a social stigma associated with periods.” Whisper is on a mission to help India achieve 100% menstrual hygiene adoption. It is focusing on 3 A’s to build a better world for menstruating women, which are awareness, acceptance and access. As per Whisper and UNESCO’s studies, about 71% of adolescent girls in India remain unaware of menstruation until they get their first period, adversely affecting their confidence and self-esteem. Whisper aims to help all young girls arm themselves with enough information about menstruation. It launched #KeepGirlsInSchool movement with UNESCO. The partnership is aimed at developing an integrated puberty education module in school curricula and helping young girls in achieving their full potential. In addition to this, the brand Whisper has also taken a pledge to educate 3 crore girls in the next three years. Telling us more about the campaign's performance so far, Soni said, “The campaign truly sparked a national movement which was very encouraging. We will be impacting more than 90 Lakh girls and help keep them in school. Supported by UNESCO this year, we aim to integrate a period education module in the school curriculum in India - to ensure systematic changes ensuring girls are equipped to manage periods and don't miss out on school or their dreams. The movement has been able to drive awareness amongst 5.5 crore people in just one year. The support from key opinion leaders like Mr. Eric Fahlt and Dr. Huma Masood from UNESCO, Bhumi Pednekar, Soha Ali Khan, Dutee Chand amongst others has been testament to a movement we can collectively drive. We see this as a pivotal movement to attain 100% menstrual hygiene In India.” But there’s hope after all. 30 years ago, less than 1 crore women used hygienic sanitary protection during their period. Whisper has helped accelerate this number by 10X and it continues to grow. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Using the right marketing tools to empower women and girls" text="Using the right marketing tools to empower women and girls">Using the right marketing tools to empower women and girls</cmsannotation> Soni told us that the brand follows a simple principle for marketing. In every communication, it strives to be a force for female good. She shared with us a few key milestones that Whisper has crossed in its marketing journey so far. Recalling the first change-making campaign that Whisper worked on, Soni said, “Whisper was the first brand to show a sanitary napkin on television and mention the word ‘periods’ in advertising as well as demonstrate how the product works on National TV back in 1993. Pushing communication boundaries for societal good is at our core.” In 2014, Whisper bust the taboo around ‘touching the pickle’ during menstruation. <div type="Youtube" id="5s8SD83ILJY" title="Announcing the End of Period Taboos | #TouchThePickle" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5s8SD83ILJY/mqdefault.jpg"></div> “Whisper became the first brand in India in 2014 to take the topic of period taboos head-on in the globally renowned Whisper ‘Touch the Pickle’ campaign. The campaign went on to win several global awards including Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions and sparked a conversation in India that led to periods being front and center in the society. The campaign is also known as the trailblazer for bringing periods out of the closet in popular culture as the government, entertainment industry and social sector became part of the movement. We followed this up with award-winning revolutionary campaigns such as ‘Whispers Break Silence’ and ‘Meri Life Mere Rules’, characterized by local cultural insights and have led to organic consumer movements,” shared Soni. Under the same campaign, Whisper launched an advertisement urging chemists to not wrap sanitary napkins in a black plastic bag or newspaper. <div type="Youtube" id="SyZDsDthu0Y" title="My #TouchThePickle Moment" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SyZDsDthu0Y/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Its current campaign is the #KeepGirlsInSchool movement. <div type="Youtube" id="10b1vVe_SQ0" title="Whisper Keep Girls in School" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/10b1vVe_SQ0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> While there has been a sea of change in normalising the conversation around periods, there is still so much more road to cover. Here’s hoping that more menstrual hygiene brands stop using blue liquid in their ads to represent period blood and help normalise it.

Adoption of sanitary napkins is less than 20% in India, whereas adoption of cosmetics like lipstick is significantly higher at 65%: Chetna Soni, P&G

In a small village in Zambia, a teenager carries the key to her <keyword id="21911075" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bicycle" source="keywords">bicycle</keyword> lock around her neck like an ornament. Her father, the leader of the hamlet frowns upon it. But it has little to no effect on her, because the bicycle was her key to freedom, and symbolic of the agency she now had over her life. <div type="image" title="Students of Government Manorama Vidyapith Girls High School in Patna (2009)" agency="BCCL" msid="113057493" hostid="261"></div> Similarly, a girl in her neighbouring village would deflate her cycle’s tyres every day, and bury the key somewhere far from the reach of her brother, to stop him from using it. Why were these young women so territorial and proud over a seemingly modest mode of commute to their school? How is it related to Bihar, and how has something as small and insignificant as a bicycle paved the way for a broader movement of woman empowerment? Read on to find out! <h2>Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana</h2>Being one of the most impoverished states in India, Bihar is plagued with a large gender gap in school attendance. This gap in attendance in schools only grows with age. The enrollment of girls in primary school is satisfactory, largely due to the availability of primary schools and the introduction of schemes like the midday meal. However, distance remains a huge barrier in the hinterlands, pushing them further away from attending secondary school. In 2006, the Nitish Kumar-led state government, launched the Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana, a pioneering cash-for-kind program to empower girls through education. The program initially provided ₹2000 to 14-year-old girls enrolled in 9th grade, enabling them to purchase bicycles. This initiative was designed to address one of the most significant barriers to education for girls in Bihar—long distances to secondary schools. But, how profound were the implications of this policy intervention? In 2008, <a href="https://www.nishithprakash.com">Professor Nishith Prakash</a> from Northeastern University and <a href="https://econweb.ucsd.edu/~kamurali/index.html">Professor Kartik Muralidharan</a> of the University of California, San Diego embarked on a study to gauge the policy’s impact with support from the International Growth Centre (IGC). Their research found that this bicycle program increased age-appropriate secondary school enrolment for girls aged 14-15 by 32%. It also reduced the gender gap in enrolment by 40%. Moreover, the number of girls appearing for and passing the 10th-grade exam rose by 18% and 12%, respectively. The success of this initiative highlighted the transformative power of providing a bicycle. Inspired by the Bihar program's success, Professor Prakash later collaborated with <a href="https://worldbicyclerelief.org">World Bicycle Relief (WBR)</a> and Zambia's Ministry of General Education to implement a similar initiative in the Southern province of Zambia. <h2>After Bihar, why Zambia?</h2>Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa that has made significant strides in improving access to primary education with near-universal primary school enrolment. However, the story, when it comes to girls in secondary education, is markedly different. The drop-off for girls, as they transition to secondary education is stark. According to the World Bank’s 2015 report ‘Policy Brief: Zambia,’ their enrolment fell to just 61% at the lower secondary level. The same report states that girls drop out of school at double the rate of boys in Grade 7 and triple the rate of boys by Grade 11. <h2>A tough road to secondary school</h2>Transitioning to, and completing secondary education is particularly challenging for girls, primarily due to barriers like school fees, long distances to school, and societal factors such as teenage pregnancy and child marriage. These challenges are even more pronounced in rural areas. Additionally, this transition to secondary school often coincides with the onset of menstruation, which brings its own set of challenges. The lack of menstrual hygiene facilities in schools, coupled with the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding menstruation, further exacerbates the already significant gap in girls' education. Nearly 98% of girls in their sample reported walking to school, spending an average of 110 minutes commuting just one way, as reported in a <a href="https://www.cesifo.org/en/publications/2022/working-paper/wheels-change-transforming-girls-lives-bicycles">new study</a> authored by Professor Nishith Prakash and his collaborators. Alarmingly, 35% of these girls reported experiencing sexual harassment during their commute, highlighting just how perilous a journey many face in their pursuit of education. This <a href="https://www.cesifo.org/en/publications/2022/working-paper/wheels-change-transforming-girls-lives-bicycles">intervention</a> was introduced in Zambia, providing bicycles to girls in 100 schools across three districts, and the results were promising. Overall absenteeism dropped by 29%, translating to an additional five school days per year for girls in the Southern Province, where the average primary school student missed 18 days annually. Girls in the schools who received the bicycles were 38% less likely to drop out of school compared to those in the schools who did not receive the bicycles. <h2>Pedalling towards a safer commute</h2>The impact of these bicycles extended beyond just improved attendance. The program also led to enhanced perceptions of safety among the girls. One year after the intervention, girls in the treatment group reported a 22% reduction in instances of being teased or harassed on their way to school. Additionally, the probability of girls missing school or leaving early due to safety concerns dropped by 39%. Post the success of this program, the United States Agency For International Development (USAID) awarded $3.5 million to fund bicycles for growth initiatives to increase access in rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, mainly Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. Additionally, the Ministry of General Education (Zambia) scaled up the cycle program in several districts in Zambia. Simply put, the bicycles in Bihar and Zambia gave young girls the agency of making choices for themselves. While the immediate benefit of these programs was providing the means for women to travel to school, the long-term impact reveals significant shifts in attitudes among both the women involved and the communities around them! But did you know that the use of bicycles to provide women with this much-needed agency isn’t new and was actively instituted by women during the suffrage movement of the 19th century — a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States? <h2>Corsets to cycles: The Suffrage movement &amp; bicycles</h2> <div type="image" title="A woman with a bicycle in early 1900s" msid="113057788" hostid="261"></div> In the late 19th century, during the American industrial revolution, a seemingly simple invention sparked a movement that would forever change women's lives — the bicycle. As the country experienced a ‘bicycle craze,’ the first wave of the women’s rights movement was gaining momentum. The bicycle quickly became more than just a mode of transportation; it became a powerful symbol of change and progress in the fight for women’s emancipation. In fact, the introduction of the bicycle revolutionised women’s fashion, breaking away from restrictive corsets and long skirts that had previously hindered their mobility. Instead, women began to adopt more practical, comfortable clothing that allowed them to cycle freely. The image of the ‘new woman’ emerged — educated, sporty, and career-oriented — with a bicycle as her constant companion. In 1895, at the age of 80, suffragist leader <keyword id="23037502" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elizabeth-cady-stanton" source="keywords">Elizabeth Cady Stanton</keyword> predicted the power of the bicycle in transforming the lives of women. Having the ability to be self-reliant, often for the first time in their lives, would encourage them to be more courageous in other areas as well. While back then, their fight was for their right to vote in political elections, times have changed. Women have to fight different battles — some new and some old — to realise and utilise their potential. What has remained constant in this journey is the bicycle! Susan B. Anthony, another suffragist leader further opined, “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammelled womanhood.” Had she known that several decades later, this simpleton mode of transport would continue to improve the lives of young women in remote parts of the Global South, she would’ve been happy to her heart's content! If something as mundane as access to mobility has historically brought such great results, what can be done to bring greater mobility for women in policy-making today? Professor Nishith Prakash suggests that mobility needs to be thought of in a broader context. Mobility in the case of women isn’t just freedom to be able to go from one place to another. There are multiple actors at play, including their actual safety and the perception of feeling safe in an environment. Cultural norms in most societies across the globe, and in India, automatically grant the power of key-decision making to men. For these archaic norms to be challenged, he suggests changes in curriculum from early childhood. Reiterating the importance of agency in making choices for themselves, there need to be jobs for them to want to step out of the confines of their homes. And once they do, nothing can stop them from cycling away to their freedoms!

SIMPLY PUT: Two Wheels, One Mission — Bicycles empowering girls in Bihar and Zambia, a call-back to 19th century Suffrage movement

<ul><li>When you are fighting a never-ending battle against age-old norms and working towards building an inclusive future for all genders beyond the binary, every small step counts.</li><li>This listicle is an effort to appreciate brands and advertising agencies that gave under-represented communities a much-needed chance to voice their concerns through their advertising campaigns.</li></ul>The first half of 2021 gave us some unpleasant personal memories that we all want to bury but the second half gave us some incredible campaigns that pushed the advertising and marketing industry a step forward towards inclusivity. These campaigns gave us hope that there will be a better tomorrow and reminded us to keep believing in ourselves. Some brand campaigns were like a warm hug that made us miss our childhood days -- when we didn’t have to worry about hustling remotely and catching a deadly virus -- and some encouraged us to keep fighting for gender equality. According to a study conducted by Cannes Lions and Google, consumers in APAC want to see more groups represented in marketing, and there’s a <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/feature/year-in-search-for-brands/">strong appetite for more inclusive content</a>. But as per their research, it seems not enough inclusive content is being created. Only 1 in 5 consumers feel represented in the ads they see. The same research found that male characters in ads are significantly more likely to be shown as having an occupation than female characters (25.5% compared with 16.7%) and are shown as funnier than female characters (22.1% compared with 15.4%), while female characters are more sexualized than male characters — female characters are 4X more likely to be shown in revealing clothing than male characters (10.8% compared with 2.25%). However, there’s still hope. The Indian advertising and marketing world has taken a few baby steps towards gender equality and inclusivity this year. In this listicle, we look at a few brand campaigns that challenged regressive gender and cultural notions in an attempt to make a difference. UNAIDS’ The Mirror | Agency: FCB India The film, ‘The Mirror,’ portrays a young boy who is pouting and opts out of playing with other children during a big Indian kite festival. His mother eggs him on but he sneaks off downstairs alone. He drapes himself in a woman’s scarf, and smiles as he sees his reflection in a mirror. Moments later, his mother and his grandmother catch him dancing dressed up. The music track stops, and the women stare at the boy. A few seconds of dread pass by and suddenly the women join him. This advertisement by FCB India and UNAIDS highlighted how gender diversity is not a lifestyle choice but an inherent right of all people. Gender stereotypes, especially towards LGBTIQ+, lead to stigma and discrimination. This is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth. <div type="Youtube" id="oulxCQeZtDo" title="The Mirror" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oulxCQeZtDo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Bhima’s Pure as Love | Agency: Animal Bhima Jewellery's ad shows us the journey of a brooding, unshaven boy who, thanks to the love and support of his loving, supportive family, transforms into a happy, confident young woman. The story is told with such simplicity and so much sensitivity that you rejoice with the character by the end of the film. What works in favor of the brand is, its inclusion in the story doesn’t feel forced. It is just seamlessly a part of the narrative. The young man is slowly growing more accepting towards himself, there is a lot of acceptance from everyone around him too. The film is full of love and the jewellery is just a part of the narrative. It is present, almost in every frame, but never the main focus. <div type="Youtube" id="NtaLr_r8R2E" title="Bhima Jewellery. Pure as love." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NtaLr_r8R2E/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Elegant Steel’s Nari Shakti - The Steel Within | Agency: FCB India Launched during Navratri, this campaign pointed out how the irony of celebrating Nari Shakti and female power for the nine days is very stark. Because for the rest of the year, we get busy dis-empowering her. How this biased narrative is maintained is through words. Cruel words, words aimed to put you in boxes, words to shame, words to make sure you never ever discover your true power within. When even one woman, refuses to succumb to this narrative, the swords and the pitchforks come out. Because you see, one woman freeing herself from the narrative, can inspire millions to break free, refuse to be cowed down and write their own story. This campaign celebrates women and the power they find within themselves to fight for a seat at the table and hopes for a better future for them. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Mohey’s Kanyamaan In India, weddings are all about rituals and traditions that bring about a happy union. These age-old Hindu rituals have been an intrinsic part of our society and one of the most important being ‘Kanyadaan.’ Questioning this outdate practice, Alia Bhatt and Mohey’s ad aimed to promote a more inclusive and equal space for women in marriage and in life. It strives for a balance between tradition and equality. Through the film, Alia talks about a new idea that creates a union between the ritual itself and its underlying thought process placed in modern context. However, the campaign did not well with social media trolls. They called for a boycott on the brand for targeting Hindu religion but the brand did not bow down. The campaign was an important reminder that we need to take another look at regressive practices that benefit patriarchy. <div type="Youtube" id="hUNAMOCocDE" title="Alia Bhatt Mohey Manyavar Ad TVC" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hUNAMOCocDE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Vim’s Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage | Agency: Lowe Lintas The TVC was a story of a prospective matrimonial arrangement, where the ‘independent guy’ under the implicit assumption that it is the wife’s job to cook and clean, tries to impress the girl by offering to ‘help’ her with cooking. The girl immediately offers to ‘help’ him with dishes, gently nudging him to be independent in household chores as well, as she could get late from work. The boy’s initial shock and eventual change of perspective drives home the campaign message of ‘Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage’. The girl in the ad is not only ‘more than her chores’ but also a change-maker who calls for equal partnership. <div type="Youtube" id="cWIo7lTfdqs" title="Vim Liquid | Making dishwashing easy (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cWIo7lTfdqs/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Saffola’s Rakhna Heart ka Khayal | Agency: Mullen Lintas Moving away from the stereotypical gender role of a woman taking care of the husband and the family’s health, Saffola’s film reversed gender roles and showcased a modern couple where the husband is looking after his wife. It portrays the husband as the one who is concerned about the stress his wife goes through at work and its impact on her heart. While he cannot take away her stress, no matter how much he would like to, he does what’s in his control to take care of her heart. With this ad, Saffola and Mullen Lintas challenged the stereotypical FMCG ads we are tired of seeing. <div type="Youtube" id="VHqQwPCAT10" title="Saffola Gold Stress Film|Hindi|30sec" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VHqQwPCAT10/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Boondh’s UnGender Menstruation | Agency: Schbang Menstruation has historically been a taboo subject in India. In recent times, while a lot of conversation has driven the discourse out into a space of open discussion, most of it has been led by cisgender women. The highly feminised language around menstruation has caused thousands of non-cisgender-women menstruators to wake up and still feel incorrect about a physiological process that doesn’t define their identity. To tackle the lack of representation in this space, Schbang For Good, the impact communication division of Schbang and Boondh Social Foundation had collaborated on Menstrual Hygiene Day, to shed light on the experiences of menstruating people who do not identify as cis-woman and highlight the shared struggles of every menstruator. Cadbury’s Kuch Khaas Hai | Agency: Ogilvy India Who hasn’t heard about Cadbury’s remake of Kuch Khass Hai ad? This campaign by Ogilvy India started a conversation on nostalgia and gender equality. The ad reversed the gender roles and normalised men showing emotions and cheering for their women partners. <div type="Youtube" id="z_OtC06ndUE" title="Cadbury Dairy Milk wishes #GoodLuckGirls to all those hitting it out of the park." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z_OtC06ndUE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Dove India’s StopTheBeautyTest | Agency: Ogilvy Dove’s StopTheBeautyTest film walked us through hard-hitting, real stories of beauty-based judgment and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and the impact this has on their self-esteem. <div type="Youtube" id="E3kWzRB6Yy8" title="Dove | #StopTheBeautyTest (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E3kWzRB6Yy8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Swiggy’s Women’s Day ad Swiggy’s campaign aimed to bring about a change in the objectionable images of women that pop up when one searches for the term ‘Desi Masala.’ Swiggy urged its users to flood the Internet with posts and pictures tagging authentic Indian spices on websites, blogs, forums, and social media platforms that will help get rid of the lurid connotation that currently exists. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> WeWork’s Women Day ad This campaign showed how stereotypes and biases at the workplace still haven't changed across the world. <div type="Youtube" id="9RMIdAEYLnE" title="WeWork India | International Women's Day 2021" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9RMIdAEYLnE/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

10 Indian campaigns that made great strides towards gender equality and inclusivity in 2021

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>For years, the underwear industry has been primarily about sex.&#xa0;It's understandable, considering that the lingerie industry's behemoth Victoria Secret was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secrets-crazy-history-2015-7" target="_blank">founded by a man </a>with the initial intention of welcoming them with open arms to a lingerie store.Lingerie, traditionally, has been by men and for men, even if women are the ones wearing it.But that's been changing.Scores of underwear companies have emerged to appeal to the people who have to wear it: women. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-out-victorias-secret-not-every-woman-wants-to-dress-sexy-2015-11" target="_blank">Negative Underwear</a> has been focusing on functional, utilitarian, but high-quality underwear. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secret-former-ceo-helps-fund-thirdlove-2016-2" target="_blank">ThirdLove </a>has been zeroing on proper fit with a fancy app that uses photos to gauge proper bra size.Then there's the latest crop of emerging underwear companies, and they're set on winning the hearts of women by designing menstruation-friendly underwear.&#xa0;Perhaps more so though than any other "female-friendly" underwear concept, these companies really, truly cater toward women. These ostensibly feminist companies ask women to celebrate components to womanhood that they've been previously told to be quiet about or struggle with.The marketing campaigns have several pillars. For one, there's the initial shock. Secondly, it might not appeal to men - but that's the point. And thirdly, once the idea settles in, it makes sense.&#xa0;"For women with periods," some of Thinx's ad's declare - in other words, most women.&#xa0;<a href="http://www.shethinx.com/" target="_blank">Thinx</a>&#xa0;has made waves in New York City with its ad campaigns in subway stations with grapefruits and leaking eggs and declarative, provocative statements.<div></div>This fall, it received an onslaught of press when Outfront Media - which controls subway ads - &#xa0;tried to remove the ads, according to <a href="http://mic.com/articles/127022/will-the-new-york-city-subway-ban-these-thinx-ads-for-using-the-word-period#.RAhpSgan5" target="_blank">Mic</a>. This was out of fear that children would feel the urge to ask their parents what, pray tell, are periods?The ads went under review, but Thinx&#xa0;won the battle, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/23/nytnow/twitter-fury-aside-mta-is-fine-with-underwear-ads-on-subway.html?_r=0" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>&#xa0;reported.<div></div>The "period" component to the underwear is that it contains a cloth that can absorb the blood. It's moisture wicking, leak resistant, and fends off bacteria. Founder Mikki Agrawal told <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/01/thinx-miki-agrawal-c-v-r.html" target="_blank">The Cut</a> reporter Noreen Malone that she could forgo using a tampon if she used Thinx.&#xa0;There's also Dear Kate, which calls its undergarments&#xa0;"performance" underwear. The company has been on a mission to disrupt the underwear industry since its inception. The company&#xa0;was founded by Julie Sygiel, a chemical engineer.Dear Kate has been also been receiving adulation for its ad campaigns. Honing in on its 'tech' theme, the company has<a href="http://time.com/3161169/underwear-ad-dear-kate-tech-women/" target="_blank"> featured tech industry executives&#xa0;in its ads.</a>&#xa0;The company has also outwardly knocked Victoria's Secret's "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secret-perfect-body-campaign-2014-10" target="_blank">Perfect Body</a>" campaign.<div></div>Dear Kate has also infiltrated the New York City subway system.<div></div>&#xa0;There's also Panty Prop, which is slightly different, in that it's designed to hold a sanitary pad in place - but again, it's underwear designed to be functional for women and part of the larger for-women, by-women underweat movement."I literally started it because of having a problem," Crystal Etienne, founder of Panty Prop - which has a patented design - said to Business Insider.&#xa0;She believes that there was just an empty space in the market, and&#xa0;women are celebrating that they have options now."Even with the lingerie industry, like I just think that they missed a whole market when they ignore that [space in the market]. It's something that us as women ... we have our menstrual cycles every month," she said.And there are more companies in this market - there's Knockout Panties, Lunapads, and more, proving that&#xa0;this may be the next big thing in lingerie.&#xa0;"I think it's more of just, now, having that option of having something. And now that we have it, now you know, we're women. Women are strong. We know what we want," Etienne said.Maybe it's&#xa0;not particularly sexy,&#xa0;but the people buying this underwear don't seem to mind, and Etienne thinks this new wave of underwear is just&#xa0;beginning.&#xa0;"I think it's actually just started," she said. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/underwear-shakes-up-feminine-hygiene-market-dear-kate-julie-sygiel-2015-12">This revolutionary underwear is shaking up the $26.5 billion feminine hygiene market</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tob2tpeTr3vsgdpoW4b67tJWRMVwdbnc" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "menstruation hygiene industry" and got 8 results

Menstrual Hygiene Day: India’s first-ever gender-inclusive menstruation campaign is here

BI India Partner

Are consumers ready to see period blood in red? RIO's relaunch of ad and ASCI’s nod on it proves they are

Karuna Sharma

2 Gen Z entrepreneurs launched a sustainable-period-care startup that's booked $1 million in revenue. Here's how their strategy of posting 100 times a day on TikTok grew the business.

Shriya Bhattacharya

In a country where menstruation is still a taboo, Indian startups are breaking stereotypes

Sanchita Dash

Adoption of sanitary napkins is less than 20% in India, whereas adoption of cosmetics like lipstick is significantly higher at 65%: Chetna Soni, P&G

Karuna Sharma

SIMPLY PUT: Two Wheels, One Mission — Bicycles empowering girls in Bihar and Zambia, a call-back to 19th century Suffrage movement

Prerna Tyagi

10 Indian campaigns that made great strides towards gender equality and inclusivity in 2021

Karuna Sharma

A staple wardrobe item for American women is getting a huge makeover

Mallory Schlossberg

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