Thinx Inc., the period solutions company behind Thinx period-proof underwear, is launching its first-ever national television ad campaign, “MENstruation,” devised by BBDO New York. This centerpiece spot–directed by Rachel McDonald of Biscuit Filmworks–asks the question “If we all had periods, would we be more comfortable talking about them?” and includes scenes in which cisgender men are placed in everyday situations people with periods experience and know all too well, including: A boy telling his dad “I think I just got my period”; a man asking his colleague, “hey man, do you have a tampon?”’ and a man rolling over in bed to reveal he left a blood stain on his sheets.
Maria Molland, CEO of Thinx Inc., said of the campaign, “People with periods are taught from a young age that one of our body’s natural processes is something to be ashamed of, and something we should go to great lengths to conceal. We’re taught to hide our period products in our sleeves on the way to the restroom, and constantly check our clothes for any leaks or stains. In fact, 80% of teens [with periods] report a negative association with periods, and say they are gross or unsanitary.
Molland continued, “In our first national television campaign, we are imagining the answer to this question: If all people had periods, including cisgender men, would they be normalized? Would we be able to talk openly about them, without shame? Half the population does have a period, and we want to broaden the conversation to everyone, no period required.”
“Our goal was authenticity and empathy,” said Crystal Rix, chief strategy officer of BBDO New York. “So much of the industry and culture uses ridiculous euphemism to talk about periods. We wanted an honest and sincere attempt to build understanding and empathy for people with periods.”
CreditsClient Thinx Inc. Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, chief creative officer, worldwide; Greg Hahn, chief creative officer, NY; Bianca Guimaraes, Peter Alsante, VPs/creative directors; Jenn Tranbarger, associate creative director/art director; Jess Rello, associate creative director/copywriter; Angela Narlock, Anthony Curti, executive producers; Corie Rosenblatt, producer; Yamaris Leon, content operations director; Julia Millison, music producer; David Rolfe, head of integrated production; Crystal Rix, chief strategy officer; Nicole Landesman, Kim Ryneska, SVPs/brand strategists. Production Biscuit Rachel McDonald, director; Shawn Lacy, partner/managing director; Autumn Durald Arkapaw, DP; Holly Vega, exec producer; Mercedes Allen-Sarria, head of production; Maury Strong, line producer. Editorial Arcade Laura Sanford, Jeff Lopus, editors; Max Hoffman, assistant editor; Arlene Perez, producer. Sound Heard City Eric Warzecha, audio engineer; Gloria Pitagorsky, managing director/partner. Color Company 3 Sofie Borup, colorist; Alexandra Lubrano, producer. Finishing/VFX The Mill Bethan Phillips, Luke Proctor, producers; Anton Anderson, David Forcada, Justin Kell, Jamie Scott, Drew Maloney, Sam Caine, Corey Brown, VFX artists.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More