INVISIBLE WOMEN

TitleINVISIBLE WOMEN
BrandRÈGLES ÉLÉMENTAIRES
Product/ServiceINVISIBLE WOMEN
Category B01. Challenger Brand Strategy
Entrant SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Idea Creation SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Media Placement MEDIAPLUS Paris, FRANCE
PR SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Production SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Post Production SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Credits
Name Company Position
Alexander Schill Serviceplan Group Global Chief Creative Officer
Daniel Perez Serviceplan France Chief Creative Officer
jason Romeyko Serviceplan Group Worldwide Executive Creative Director
Chloé Rosiaux Serviceplan France Copywriter
David Leliard Serviceplan France Art Director
Tram-Anh Nguyen SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Art Director
Véronique Erb SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Art Director
Vanessa KOUTCHINSKY Serviceplan France Copywriter
Frank Willocq TRINITY FILMS Producer
Arnaud LARIDAN MEDIAPLUS MEDIA TV DIRECTOR
Michel MARRET MEDIAPLUS FRANCE Business Director
Stéphane PERROT SERVICEPLAN FRANCE Managing Director
Ania Mouvet Serviceplan Paris Account Executive
Perrine COLLIN SERVICEPLAN FRANCE PR Director

Why is this work relevant for Media?

This work is a good candidate in the media category for two reasons : first, our operation consisted in using a traditional media - television - in an unconventional way. Secondly, our operation consisted in hijacking a popular television program, the weather forecast, in order to reach a large and captive audience. For these two main reasons, "Invisible Women" is a work that fits the media category.

Background

In France today, 1.7 million women do not have the financial means to buy intimate hygiene products, or not in sufficient quantity. Consequently, it’s difficult for some of them to continue with normal day-to-day life with dignity when menstruating. For some, the solution lies in absence, with these women preferring not to show up at their place of study or work during their period.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

What a surprise it was for millions of viewers to discover on 3 major national TV channels, instead of their weather forecast, the following message: “Our weather presenter will not be presenting the weather, because she has her period. We apologize for the inconvenience”. At the end of the weather report, the message from the Association Règles Élémentaires, who fights against menstrual precariousness revealed: "This initiative is carried out in solidarity with the 1.7 million of women suffering from period poverty. Because they don’t have the financial means to buy intimate hygiene products, most of them cannot go to school or work during their period".

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

To highlight the problem of those women who prefer to stay at home rather than go to work or school during their periods, because they cannot afford to buy periodical protection, we wanted to create a paradox. We asked ourselves "who are the most visible women in France?", then we choose to make them invisible to the public, like these women in precarious situations. We wanted to create an impact on the French population and reach a wide target. So, we decided to convince some national TV channels to partner with us.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

In solidarity with 1.7 million invisible French women suffering from period poverty, the most visible women in France, the weather presenters of 9 TV channels, including 3 major national channels, did not show up on air when they were supposed to be presenting the weather forecast. Like these women who every month can't go to work or school because they can't afford to buy periodic protections, they agreed to disappear of the screen.

List the results (30% of vote)

We wanted to raise awareness of the problem and raise donations, but we achieved a lot more. The operation contributed to raise awareness to the topic of period poverty, which started emerging in the public debates. The French Minister for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa announced the experimentation of free distribution of hygienic protections. The founder of the Association Règles Élémentaires declared that this campaign contributed to change the laws and to ensure that all women today and, in the future, live their period with dignity.

Why is this work relevant for Creative Strategy?

For this operation, we partnered with 9 TV channels, including 3 major national channels. We hijacked one of the most popular TV programs: the weather forecast. When it came to presenting the weather, the women did not show up, on the pretext that they were having their period. In a matter of seconds, there were thousands of surprised reactions on social networks, up to the moment when the operation was revealed at the end of the weather.

Background

In France today, 1.7 million women do not have the financial means to buy intimate hygiene products, or not in sufficient quantity. Consequently, it’s difficult for some of them to continue with normal day-to-day life with dignity, when menstruating. For some, the solution lies in absence, with these women preferring not to show up at their place of study or work during their period.

Interpretation (30% of vote)

In solidarity with 1.7 million invisible French women suffering from period poverty, the most visible women in France, the weather presenters of 9 TV channels, including 3 major national channels, did not show up on air when they were supposed to be presenting the weather forecast. Like these women who every month can't go to work or school because they can't afford to buy periodic protections, they agreed to disappear of the screen.

Insight / Breakthrough Thinking (30% of vote)

To highlight the problem of those women who prefer to stay at home rather than go to work or school during their periods, because they cannot afford to buy periodical protection, we wanted to create a paradox. We asked ourselves "who are the most visible women in France?", then we choose to make them invisible to the public, like these women in precarious situations. We wanted to create an impact on the French population and reach a wide target. So, we decided to convince some national TV channels to partner with us.

Creative Idea (20% of vote)

What a surprise it was for millions of viewers to discover on 3 major national TV channels, instead of their weather forecast, the following message: “Our weather presenter will not be presenting the weather, because she has her period. We apologize for the inconvenience”. At the end of the weather report, the message from the Association Règles Élémentaires, who fights against menstrual precariousness, revealed: "This initiative is carried out in solidarity with the 1.7 million of women suffering from period poverty. Because they don’t have the financial means to buy intimate hygiene products, most of them cannot go to school or work during their period".

Outcome / Results (20% of vote)

We wanted to raise awareness of the problem and raise donations, but we achieved a lot more. The operation contributed to raise awareness to the topic of period poverty, which started emerging in the public debates. The French Minister for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa announced the experimentation of free distribution of hygienic protections. The founder of the Association Règles Élémentaires declared that this campaign contributed to change the laws to ensure that all women today and, in the future, live their period with dignity.