The challenge for many women and girls to afford feminine hygiene and menstrual products, known as period poverty, is a critical health and economic issue.
Statistics show one in four women struggle to pay for period products, and one in five girls in the U.S. have missed school due to lack of access to menstrual products. Now a leading national drug retailer, along with feminine product manufacturers and Advantage Solutions, is taking steps to fight period poverty.
Now through May 22, the retailer, in partnership with Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble and Edgewell Personal Care, is running an awareness and educational campaign at 3,000 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that aims to combat the issue.
The campaign includes beauty and wellness consultants in-store, coupons for feminine care products and donations of products to organizations fighting period poverty. Advantage signed on to help bring the experience to life, including artwork, signage and collateral material promoting the campaign.
“When we were approached by the retailer about this campaign in February, we were really moved to help get the word about period poverty out there,” says Nicole Costantini, director of customer experience partnerships at Advantage.
Advantage has worked with the drug chain on experiential campaigns since 2020, creating about 75 in-store activations a year, but always in the beauty segment. The period poverty initiative marks the first time the two companies are teaming up on a wellness campaign, and the team was excited about the opportunity.
“While it was the same execution as our beauty work for the stores — building a timeline, working with vendors, collecting assets, creating artwork — the difference here was that we’re helping an important cause, which made this really meaningful for us,” Costantini says.
Advantage created in-store signage with the retailer’s messaging such as “End period poverty” and “Period care is a right, not a privilege,” along with a coupon brochure featuring well-known feminine hygiene brands including Always, Playtex Sport and Kotex.
Each brand created its own pages for the coupon brochure put together by Advantage, which also includes savings on the products and information on how each manufacturer is helping to fight period poverty. For each product purchased at participating stores through June 30, Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble and Edgewell will donate feminine products to their respective philanthropic partners who focus on ending period poverty.
For Advantage, the project expands its relationship with its retail partner beyond beauty into health and wellness. As the retailer continues to focus on increasing wellness awareness, more educational and cause-based initiatives may be on the horizon.
“No one’s personal care needs should be out of reach,” says Rebecca Grey, vice president of belonging and impact at Advantage Solutions. “As a purpose-driven organization, we are constantly seeking opportunities to harness the power of winning together to deepen our impact, internally and externally.
“With a workforce of 65% women, we know menstrual health — access to hygiene products, management of menstrual disorders — can impact productivity and career advancement,” she says. “That’s why we’re thrilled to join a leading retailer and manufacturers in the effort to fight period poverty.”