Libresse's #painstories marketing campaign lifts the lid on endometriosis
Libresse's new #painstories campaign (known as Bodyform in the UK) addresses endometriosis, a little-discussed and often undermined condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus begins to grow in other places, including the ovaries and fallopian tubes, which causes great pain. It affects one in ten women in the UK.
The #painstories campaign, launched by AMV BBDO, aims to raise awareness and accelerate the average 7.5 years it currently takes to diagnose the condition, as the pain usually normalizes and the issue is not serious is taken.
The campaign was informed through a report led by Libresse about the realities of the “gender pain gap” around the world, in which silence and taboos around women's pain, the experiences of trans and non-binary people, and cultural and Institutional aspects examined were dealing with pain.
A pain dictionary was created for the campaign to explain and contextualize the pain caused by the condition, which is still difficult to quantify or register on a pain scale, despite one in ten women in the UK.
The concept was triggered by the personal experience of AMV BBDO creative Augustine Cerf with the disease: “The pain dictionary was created from my own experience of having difficulty finding a language to express my endometriosis pain. I hope that people with pain can identify with the pain representations and recognize their own pain in them, which could speed up the diagnosis. "
The pain museum
“We know that 176 million women worldwide have endometriosis, and we need a language with which they can articulate their experiences so that they can get the help they need,” says Tanja Grubner from Essity, who owns Libresse. “Through definition, conversation and exposure, we hope to help women tell their #painstories, raise awareness about endometriosis and other pelvic painful conditions. We would like this initiative to help those who experience similar things and still have difficulty getting their voices to be heard. "
The definitions are derived from real descriptions of endometriosis patients who were brought to life with visceral works of art by artists such as the illustrator Venus Libido and the textile artist Ellie Pearce, both of whom suffer from the disease.
Accompanying the campaign there is a virtual exhibition organized by the specially created pain museum – according to the agency the first of its kind – in which the works of art are exhibited and both those affected and experts give interviews about the condition.
Given the long history of advertisers who have chosen to gloss over women's health and display period blood in a non-offensive blue liquid (which, it turns out, is actually quite offensive), the outrageous palette is rich reds and meaty Refreshing pink used during the campaign.
An offshoot of Libresse's #wombstories campaign, the campaign follows the brand's ongoing commitment to breaking whispered taboos when it comes to everything from periods to vulva.
Credits:
Agency: AMV BBDO
CCO: Alex Grieve
ECDs: Nadja Lossgott, Nicholas Hulley
Creative Directors: Toby Allen, Jim Hilson, Nadja Lossgott and Nicholas Hulley
Creative: Augustine Cerf, Lauren Peters, Mario Kertstra, Jack Donovan