2021 Winner
2021 Winners
Shoppers Drug Mart
Period Poverty
The Summer of 2020, Shoppers Drug Mart set out to increase awareness of period poverty and to ultimately get menstrual products into the hands of women in need across the country.
The challenge was that many Canadians don’t realize that period poverty isn’t just an issue in other parts around the world. It’s an issue right here in our own country, and it’s an issue that makes women powerless over their periods.
Citizen’s challenge was to create and execute a program that would shake and shock Canadians into understanding the pervasiveness of the period poverty issue right here at home, while at the same time demonstrate the commitment that “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart continues to make in helping support women’s issues across the country each and every day.
Period products shouldn’t be considered a luxury item for anyone. However, inadequate access is a reality for close to one quarter of Canadian women. Many have to choose between putting food on the table over purchasing their much-needed period products. And, as a result, many women across the country have been forced to resort to using unsanitary alternatives.
When they dove deeper into this issue with a national survey commissioned by “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart, what was even more shocking was the fact that 78 per cent of Canadians admitted that they weren’t even familiar with the term “period poverty”. They knew they had to do something to shine the spotlight on this often overlooked issue, and encourage action and donations. Because, not a single person should ever have to make a choice between buying food or period products. Period.
The campaign kicked off with Shoppers Drug Mart forming an alliance with both U by Kotex and Food Banks Canada, to ensure they could use the strength of their cumulative voices to educate Canadians about period poverty that is hiding in plain sight in their very own communities. The partnership included a buy-one-donate-one offer that saw U by Kotex and Shoppers Drug Mart donate 50,000 period products to food banks across the country at the start of the campaign.
To break through, the campaign leveraged impactful statistics and bold creativity to paint an unignorable picture of the grim reality faced by many Canadians who are forced to resort to unsanitary alternative items every month.
The Unsanitary Products campaign launched with red boxes being sent out across the country to media and influencers (with a proven interest in period poverty or women’s issues). The boxes included items like a pair of socks, a t-shirt, and paper napkins. The front of the box set up the problem and piqued interest with an intriguing headline. Then, upon opening the box, the alarming truth of what some women use as alternative period products was revealed. Each item was wrapped with shocking period poverty stats, and a notecard highlighting the issue and what “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart and U by Kotex are doing about it, and most importantly, what Canadians can do to help.
The creative execution was supported by a combination of tactics designed to build buzz and interest around the compelling campaign. These included targeted media relations, an audio news release, sponsored content, influencer social content creation and an integrated spokesperson partnership with health & wellness guru, creator of “Healthy is Hot” and eTalk! reporter, Chloe Wilde. They also partnered with Sylvia Jade, a Kotex brand ambassador.
Overall, the program resulted in over 17.8 MM impressions (112% of the campaign goal) from 213 social hits and 97 traditional pieces of coverage. Sixty Unsanitary Product packages were sent out to the media and influencers across the country, resulting in over 100 social shares. The audio news release was aired by over 40 radio stations. And, their social influencer content resulted in over 8,600 engagements and an average engagement rate of over 5.3% (well above the industry standard of 2.5%). The campaign results and message spanned across the country from Atlantic Canada to British Columbia.
But most importantly, this campaign brought to light a problem that has fallen under the radar for far too long.
The challenge was that many Canadians don’t realize that period poverty isn’t just an issue in other parts around the world. It’s an issue right here in our own country, and it’s an issue that makes women powerless over their periods.
Citizen’s challenge was to create and execute a program that would shake and shock Canadians into understanding the pervasiveness of the period poverty issue right here at home, while at the same time demonstrate the commitment that “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart continues to make in helping support women’s issues across the country each and every day.
Period products shouldn’t be considered a luxury item for anyone. However, inadequate access is a reality for close to one quarter of Canadian women. Many have to choose between putting food on the table over purchasing their much-needed period products. And, as a result, many women across the country have been forced to resort to using unsanitary alternatives.
When they dove deeper into this issue with a national survey commissioned by “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart, what was even more shocking was the fact that 78 per cent of Canadians admitted that they weren’t even familiar with the term “period poverty”. They knew they had to do something to shine the spotlight on this often overlooked issue, and encourage action and donations. Because, not a single person should ever have to make a choice between buying food or period products. Period.
The campaign kicked off with Shoppers Drug Mart forming an alliance with both U by Kotex and Food Banks Canada, to ensure they could use the strength of their cumulative voices to educate Canadians about period poverty that is hiding in plain sight in their very own communities. The partnership included a buy-one-donate-one offer that saw U by Kotex and Shoppers Drug Mart donate 50,000 period products to food banks across the country at the start of the campaign.
To break through, the campaign leveraged impactful statistics and bold creativity to paint an unignorable picture of the grim reality faced by many Canadians who are forced to resort to unsanitary alternative items every month.
The Unsanitary Products campaign launched with red boxes being sent out across the country to media and influencers (with a proven interest in period poverty or women’s issues). The boxes included items like a pair of socks, a t-shirt, and paper napkins. The front of the box set up the problem and piqued interest with an intriguing headline. Then, upon opening the box, the alarming truth of what some women use as alternative period products was revealed. Each item was wrapped with shocking period poverty stats, and a notecard highlighting the issue and what “LOVE YOU” by Shoppers Drug Mart and U by Kotex are doing about it, and most importantly, what Canadians can do to help.
The creative execution was supported by a combination of tactics designed to build buzz and interest around the compelling campaign. These included targeted media relations, an audio news release, sponsored content, influencer social content creation and an integrated spokesperson partnership with health & wellness guru, creator of “Healthy is Hot” and eTalk! reporter, Chloe Wilde. They also partnered with Sylvia Jade, a Kotex brand ambassador.
Overall, the program resulted in over 17.8 MM impressions (112% of the campaign goal) from 213 social hits and 97 traditional pieces of coverage. Sixty Unsanitary Product packages were sent out to the media and influencers across the country, resulting in over 100 social shares. The audio news release was aired by over 40 radio stations. And, their social influencer content resulted in over 8,600 engagements and an average engagement rate of over 5.3% (well above the industry standard of 2.5%). The campaign results and message spanned across the country from Atlantic Canada to British Columbia.
But most importantly, this campaign brought to light a problem that has fallen under the radar for far too long.