Endometriosis Australia has launched its first television commercial to raise awareness about period pain and endometriosis. The ‘Take Your Life Off Hold’ TVC is designed to highlight that the debilitating period pain that puts women’s lives on hold is ‘not normal’, and these symptoms could just be endometriosis.
Endometriosis in Australia remains a significant yet often misunderstood health issue for many women. This chronic condition, where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside the uterus, affects about one in seven women, and there is currently no cure. Despite its prevalence, there is a troubling lack of understanding among the general public and even some healthcare professionals, with the average diagnosis time being around six and a half years. Women with endometriosis often endure excruciating pain, infertility challenges, and a range of debilitating symptoms that can disrupt daily life and relationships, and there are very few adequate treatments to manage the symptoms. The impact extends beyond physical discomfort, as the condition can lead to emotional distress and significant economic burdens due to healthcare costs and lost productivity.
To celebrate the launch of the first TVC and to unpack the importance of raising awareness for the debilitating disease, B&T sat down with the Chair of Endometriosis Australia, Monica Forlano.
Developed by integrated communications agency HAVAS Red, the campaign confronts society’s tendency to trivialise period pain and the frustration it causes. The campaign empowers women to take their pain seriously, seek help, and regain control of their lives.
“The inspiration really came to us when, after our national awareness campaign that we thought, you know, what, what’s the biggest issue that we’re hearing. And it’s really the frustration of being dismissed,” said Forlano. “We surmised everyone who suffers from Endometriosis can relate to being put on hold; they just want information. They just want to get on with their life. And yet you’re stuck waiting for answers and someone to take you seriously”.
What makes this TVC even more unique is it features Isabelle Nader, who was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2022 after enduring years of excruciating period pain. “Being part of this TVC proved to me that we are all on this journey together. It means that I’m not alone in my suffering and that we are breaking down a barrier of taboo by talking about endometriosis and period pain. Finally, it affirms I should be taken seriously when I say, ‘I cannot move because of my period’,” said Nader.
According to Forlano, audiences needed to see themselves depicted in the advertisement for it to have the desired impact. “We were very conscious with the casting that we had a broad cross-section; we were aiming at younger people because that’s how we will reduce the diagnosis time. And to get people to feel like that’s them on screen and it would resonate with them. Isabelle actually has Endo and was having a flare-up that day,” she explained. “While she did a great job acting, that made it that much more authentic”.
From a personal perspective, Forlano connects quite deeply with the story being represented in the TVC. She spoke candidly about her experience not being taken seriously for 19 years prior to diagnosis, with her serious symptoms being dismissed as mere mental health issues.
“I was in the UK in my mid 20s. And I went to get a different contraceptive pill. I didn’t know what I had, but I knew that the stronger the pill, the better my symptoms became. I just wanted one. And I left with five boxes of Prozac, which cost me probably five quid because they’re given that like lollies. And I went back to my doctor because and said, look, I have period pain, I have had back pain. I have anxiety leading to my period because of the pain. This isn’t helpful. I need a second opinion,” Forlano explained.
“That takes strength that not all of us have to advocate for ourselves. That’s what this message does. It gives people strength to say no, I’m going to advocate and say, I want a second opinion. I want to investigate”.
Awareness campaigns like this are just one small fraction of the work that Endometriosis does to support women suffering and those still on the journey to a diagnosis. Their efforts include fundraising campaigns to sponsor scholarships for nurses specialising in endometriosis and pelvic pain at the Australian College of Nursing. Since 2017, they have been a leading investor in research outside government funding, aiming to seed innovative studies that attract substantial grants. They prioritise accessibility by translating resources into various languages. Additionally, they have partnered with the Australian Federal Government to implement workplace-friendly programs that educate corporations on supporting employees with endometriosis, thereby enhancing productivity and well-being.
The pioneering “Charli” health app is a vital tool for symptom tracking and telehealth consultations, aiding early diagnosis and personalised care management. Through these initiatives, Endometriosis Australia strives to improve quality of life, advance medical knowledge, and ultimately find better treatments and potential cures for endometriosis.
The TVC will run on Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) regional stations across the nation and is part of SCA’s Embrace two-year partnership with Endometriosis Australia. The TVC follows the recent out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaign – “It’s not just period pain, it could be endometriosis’ – donated by Ryval Media and playing on SCA radio since March of this year. The traffic to Endometriosis Australia’s website has doubled in the four months since this campaign launched.
“We are delighted to announce the next step in our partnership with Endometriosis Australia through the SCA Embrace program, with the extension of our Community Service Announcements to television. The new TVC will air across SCA’s 34 Regional TV channels, in conjunction with our new radio campaign spanning both Metro and Regional Stations & LiSTNR with the potential to reach more than 95% of the Australian population,” said chief executive officer, Southern Cross Austereo, John Kelly.
“We are proud to have supported Endometriosis Australia to drive awareness, advocacy and educate Australians through Endometriosis Awareness month in March and beyond. Through strategic placements in high traffic areas and compelling real-life visuals and messaging, we want to continue to amplify this important message for those impacted by endometriosis and for those who want to learn more,” said general manager, Ryval Media, Bianca Falloon.
“As a Village we thrive working on meaningful projects that have a personal impact to our team and the broader community. Back in 2017 we first supported Endometriosis awareness through a PR and government relations campaign that generated historic funding for research into the disease and a commitment to develop the first national plan to tackle it,” said managing partner, health and wellness at HAVAS Red, Nicole Phillips.
“We reconnected with Endometriosis Australia last year; our Host HAVAS team refreshed Endometriosis Australia’s logo and brand style guidelines. Our activation and production team at HAVAS Blvd produced the upcoming TVC campaign from creative ideation to postproduction. HAVAS Red continues to support the organisation with a drumbeat of earned media, heroing the stories of women living with endometriosis and the important work Endometriosis Australia is doing in research and community awareness”.
Credits:
Board Chair and Executive Producer – Monica Forlano
PR and Creative agency: HAVAS Red
Production Company – HAVAS BVLD
Managing Partner Health: Nicole Phillips
Senior Account Director/Producer/Art Director- Rachel Leech
Creative Lead – Tom Manning
DOP – Callum Leaky
1st AC – Brian Baker
Assistant Producer – Mimi Sillar
Sound – Tom Cutting
Hair & Makeup – Yolanda Lukowski
Photography – Hettie Headford
Postproduction:
Editor – Beau Simmons
Colour grade – Marcus Timpson
Sound Engineer
Design: MassiveMusic
