The campaign encourages families to embrace open dialogue about menstrual health, challenging stigma through candid social experiments.
This Daughters Day, Stayfree has launched its latest digital activation, continuing its mission to normalize period conversations in India.
During last year’s campaign, “Beta Stayfree Le Aana”, nearly 70% of parents refused to let their sons participate. Concerns ranged from boys being too young to understand menstrual hygiene to fears of ridicule from peers. These rejections underscored the very stigma the brand seeks to challenge.
In the new campaign, conceptualized by DDB Mudra, Stayfree revisits some of these parents through a candid social experiment featuring content creator Linda Fernandes and her teenage son. The film highlights how open, honest dialogue can transform hesitation into acceptance, reinforcing the campaign’s core message: “When we make our sons comfortable with periods, we make our daughters comfortable too.”
Stayfree’s larger “It’s Just a Period” initiative has, for over five years, championed healthy conversations about periods within families-starting with fathers, then encouraging parents to engage with sons, and taking bold steps like #BetaStayfreeLeAana.
Manoj Gadgil, Vice President, Marketing and Business Unit Head – Essential Health, Kenvue, said, “Stayfree has long been committed to creating a world where no girl feels shame, fear, or discomfort about periods. During ‘Beta Stayfree Le Aana,’ 70% of parents hesitated to feature their sons in a period ad. This reinforced the need to continue breaking barriers. Returning to these parents and witnessing their change inspired this film. This is a campaign, but the impact is real-that is our goal.”
Harshada Menon & Siddhesh Khatavkar, Executive Creative Directors, DDB Mudra, added, “When casting boys for conventional ads, parents were quick to say yes. But with the Stayfree script, most rejected it. We realized these rejections could form a powerful campaign. Revisiting the same parents, the ‘Rejections to Conversations’ film asks a simple question: if we’re comfortable with our sons in ads for clothes, shoes, or chocolates, why not sanitary napkins?”
Through this initiative, Stayfree continues to spark meaningful conversations, dismantle taboos, and create a more open, accepting environment for girls and women.