Eco-friendly fashion brand Boody, for which Ruth Haffenden heads global brand and marketing, launched the #DoLess campaign to promote its new period and leak-proof underwear.
In 1927, American menstrual product provider Kotex described periods as a ‘hygienic handicap’. Eek.
Whilst period advertising has come a long way, the majority of adverts still fiscate on helping women overcome the horror of menstruation so they can return to being ‘active’, which usually resembles frolicking around in white shorts.
But, Ruth Haffenden, global head of brand and marketing at Boody, is seeking to change the narrative with Boody’s #DoLess campaign, launched by an all female team.
In a LinkedIn post published on the 1st of December, Haffenden said:
“The phrase passion project gets banded around all too often, but with an all female team to launch Boody’s new period and leak proof underwear, from product through to strategy, creative and PR, tearing down the embarrassing rhetoric of “modern” period advertising became a bit of a rallying cry (sometimes literally)”.
Haffenden joined Boody in August this year. She was previously Managing Partner at The Works where she was instrumental in establishing the agency’s content and social arm, Daresay.
The month-long #DoLess campaign (which went live on the 17th of November) encourages Australians to slow down and do less during their period.
Its campaign video features women lounging around and eating pizza, with the words:
“On most days we are superheroes, but not today. Be kind to yourself, and the planet. Boody – official underwear of the entire planet”.
Boody partnered with Period Queen author Lucy Peach and comedian Em Rusciano, Boody on the campaign.
During the month-long campaign, Peach will be sharing regular self-care tips and helping Boody shift the current, outdated mindset around menstruation.
On the campaign, Peach said: “It’s time to change the way we think about periods. We don’t need to push through them or pretend they’re not impacting our lives. We need to embrace everyone’s needs and to recognise that when people are bleeding, our emotional and physical needs can be different. Our menstrual cycles are a source of power but to truly access this power, we need to listen to our bodies and to make time to slow down and do less when we need to.”
Alongside Peach, Australian comedian, writer and singer Em Rusciano, will be helping to promote Boody’s #DoLess mantra, reinforcing the need to remain open and authentic when it comes to periods.
“The message is simple – do less. It’s about time we shift the narrative around periods and recognise that they can be exhausting, in the past we’ve been told to POWER ON! Go water skiing, topple that cooperage ladder, sky dive! To that I say: why?! Why should we have to push through the pain and suffering our periods can bring? says Rusciano. “I’m proud to be working with Boody on this campaign, and encouraging people who menstruate to relax if they need to!”
