Case Study Write-Up (for judging purposes only)

U by Kotex is on a mission to normalize periods, led by the belief that nothing should get in the way of a  woman’s progress, especially not her period or the negative perceptions around it. The brand makes good on this promise by bringing truth and transparency to menstruation, from the very simple fact that women have periods, to the way people talk about periods, to countering the wide range of taboo topics and negative perceptions associated with periods. 

Let’s Have Period Sex chocolate was the brand’s latest effort towards erasing stigmas by turning attention to one taboo topic that is particularly relevant for Valentine’s Day. 

This initiative felt more necessary than ever, quite simply because there is still work to be done to normalize periods. 54% of women are open to having period sex, but nearly 40% of women say they would be embarrassed or unsure about suggesting period sex on Valentine’s Day.* 

We were determined to reduce the embarrassment and stigma around periods that inhibit a woman’s progress. Knowing that chocolate is culturally considered one of the most satisfying treats – studies show it can even alleviate menstrual cramps (which also happens to be a perk of period sex) – we set out to normalize the topic on the most romantic day of the year. We partnered with Phasey, a woman-owned brand with a cult following, well known for their sex chocolates among other functional foods that help women regulate cycles, to create the U by Kotex Let’s Have Period Sex heart-shaped box of chocolates (and ultra-thin pads). 

This initiative set out to encourage and enable people to feel comfortable talking about it and carrying on with their romantic life, should that be their choice. The campaign successfully helped us normalize the period sex conversation: resulting in 100% positive or neutral coverage, surpassing our goal of impressions by 20%, and amassing over 20M TikTok Views across posts, and almost 100% of the coverage included at least two of the brand’s key messages.