Why Getting Fathers and Daughters to Tackle Period Taboos Was a Liberating Experience
The stigmas and taboos around menstruation have been a hot topic for brands in the feminine hygiene category in recent years as they’ve discovered a role to play in supporting and educating women and girls. But a recent campaign from India, for brand Stayfree, has highlighted an enduring but yet unexplored manifestation of those taboos – and one which will resonate around the world. And that’s the awkwardness and silence that often emerges between fathers and daughters when they start menstruation. For one thing, periods are often considered the domain of mothers – but for another, teenagers can experience a sense of shame and embarrassment, while fathers feel unsure about how or whether to broach the subject.
What the team discovered is that this secrecy can irrevocably change even the closest father-daughter relationship, as the father is absent during a huge life moment. Indeed the emotional profundity of the insight was one that deeply affected the creative team working on the campaign, both male and female. Pallavi Chakravarti, Creative Head – West, DDB Mudra, walks us through the poignant campaign.