Huge Unveils Hooha, the World’s First Smart Tampon Dispenser at SXSW 2019
To raise awareness for Women in Technology, Huge, the global experience agency, today unveils the world’s first smart tampon dispenser. 'Hooha' was concepted and created by Huge and will launch in The Female Quotient’s FQ Lounge, Home of Equality @ SXSW on International Women’s Day, Friday March 8th, 2019 in Austin, TX. The new product, Hooha, is meant to replace the antiquated tampon dispensers across the globe. But Hooha is more than an IoT device - it's a challenge to a male-dominated tech industry to start to innovate for all.
Huge looked to The Female Quotient’s partnership for the unveiling, as the female-owned business is committed to advancing equality in the workplace. The new machine will be featured in The FQ Lounge located at 401 Sabine Street in Austin, Texas, as well as the Huge 'Power of Being Heard' experience at The Midnight Cowboy (313 E 6th Street Austin, TX 78701) on March 8th through March 11th, 2019.
Stephanie Loffredo, senior social marketing manager at Huge, said: “In an industry largely dominated by men, it's no surprise that innovation tends to stop at the women's room door. There’s a lack of awareness about women’s issues because there’s a lack of women with decision-making power in tech. The gender gap stifles innovation and the archaic, coin-operated tampon dispenser is proof of that."
By use of a simple text message, Hooha provides tampons to people when they need them the most. In addition to eradicating the coin slots, Hooha also features a window, which is notably absent from the design of its predecessors and shows users the machines’ stock level. Hooha can fit up to 60 tampons at a time, which is 3x more than the industry average.
In addition to physical installations at SXSW, Hooha and The Female Quotient will be discussing the power this innovation represents for women in the technology industry during two provocative panel sessions in The FQ Lounge and Huge’s “Power of Being Heard” event space.
