AMV BBDO has created the “Never Just a Period” campaign for Libresse, centred around a film that openly and playfully explores the dissonance between what women are taught to expect and the reality of their experiences around menstruation.
The campaign film was directed by Lucy Forbes through Smuggler.
Lauren Peters and Augustine Cerf were the AMV BBDO creatives behind the work.
“We have this culture of dismissal, minimizing and ignoring [women], so it felt important that through the craft, we made these experiences feel big, real and to be noticed. Humour allows you to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but not at the expense of understanding the reality of it,” said Peters.
“We wanted to show the onslaught of your whole life. You’re having these ‘what the fuck’ moments, feeling alienated from your body, unprepared for what’s happening, and wishing you had more information,” said Cerf.
It highlights the lack of education and preparation surrounding menstrual health, highlighting experiences from first periods to dismissive medical attitudes.
Scored by an all-female, Greek-chorus-inspired orchestra, the film highlights the collective struggle and isolation women and non-binary individuals often feel.
The campaign aims to spark open conversations and improve menstrual health education worldwide.
Campaign credits:
Client: Essity
Brand: Libresse/Bodyform
Client name: Tanja Grubner & Luciana de Azevedo Lara
Creative agency: AMV BBDO
CCO: Nicholas Hulley & Nadja Lossgott
Creative director: Nicholas Hulley & Nadja Lossgott
Creative team: Lauren Peters & Augustine Cerf
Creative design director: Vanessa Fowler Kendall
Designer: Dian Sofia
Motion designer: Francesca D’Costa
Agency planning team: Margaux Revol & Summer Taylor
Agency account team: Henrietta Corley, Victoria Norringto, Semran Kooner, Louise Mather
Agency producer: Rebecca Sharf
Junior producer: Lilli Burridge Payne
Media agency: Zenith
Production company: SMUGGLER
Director: Lucy Forbes
Exec producer: Lucy Kelly
Production co. producer: Claire Jones
Production manager: Ellie Sanders Wright
Casting director: Ali Fearnley
Service company: Emote Films
Executive producer: Bogdan Petkovic
Line producer: Marija Markovic
Post-production company: Framestore
Creative director: Sharon Lock
Producer: Sara Beckman
VFX supervisor: Murray Butler
FX: Philip Child
2D character animation: Jocie Juritz
Flame lead: Andy Salter
Flame: Paul O’Brien& Vinny David
Nuke artists: Aitor Echeveste& Hakon Loberg
Design: Sharon Lock, Craig Maxwell, Charlie Keeper, Jack Field, Daniella Marsh
Production coordinator: Rachel Knight
Production assistant: Jamie Scott
Head of data services: Madeleine Haydon
Grade: Cheat
Producer: Sarah Banks
Colourist: Toby Tomkins
Music: Soundtree
Founder/composer: Peter Raeburn
Music arrangers: Luke Fabia, Benjamin Jones, Luis Almau, Peter Raeburn
Music supervisors: Jay James& Colin McIlhagga
Edit: Tenthree
Producer: Ed Hoadley& Rachel Googder
Editors: Ellie Johnson, Elena De Palma, Liam Bachler
Assistant editor: Ella Oliver
Stop-frame animator: Anna Mantzaris
Sound studio: 750mph
Audio producer: Olivia Ray& Carla Thomas
Sound engineer: Sam Ashwell& Giselle Hall
DOP: Polly Morgan
Photographer: Aleksandra Martinovic
PR agency: Ketchum UK
PR team: Ramona Aning & Becky Hudson
