Teams for Tampons
When I started working in sports advertising, I had a goal that seemed super lofty: I wanted a female menstruation product to sponsor a key sporting event.
Most people find this hilarious, the underlying thought being that people who watch sports don't care about periods, period. The reality is that women watch sports too. In fact, Sportsnet is the #1 specialty brand for women in Canada, so why are female-focused brands were ignoring sports as potential partnerships?
Between all the truck and beer ads, it’s hard to imagine a world where Kotex would share the screen with the NHL. That may not sound like a real issue, but ignoring female fans is something that happens way beyond just the products that are advertised.
We don’t advertise to them because we forget they exist.
Obsessed with these uniforms...
Cramping My Style
Spoiler alert: I wasn't the person to execute the first period-focused campaign in sports. Disappointing, I know, but I also wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.
This week it was announced that the Rajasthan Royals cricket team signed a sponsorship deal for their upcoming season with a sanitary brand called Niine. Niine, who also runs a philanthropic foundation and a period tracker app, will have their logo and the words "with her, we rise" displayed on the back of the player's jerseys starting September 19th.
For reference, cricket is the most watched sport in India, so this is a BFD. Not only has it never been done before, but the audience watching will be massive. We're talking super plus level.
What's most interesting to me is the attitude the Royals have toward to the sponsorship. They aren't using it to appeal to their female viewers but instead view this partnership as beneficial for their male fans. In a statement, the team said they’re hoping to be “ the vehicle that will help educate men... on a grand scale.”
How beautiful is that? The team is using their advertising space as a platform to do good and shine a light on female issues.
Truly game changing.
From @niineindia
Let it Flow
Of all ways for my pad partnership dream to become a reality, this was honestly the least likely.
India has a long history of period drama, and not the 'Keira Knightley in a corset' kind. Menstruation has long been considered impure, leading women to drop out of school and sacrifice their educations out of shame. The subject of periods is taboo, so young girls aren’t prepared for their cycle and don't know the best ways to manage their flows. Without support, women are often left to use odd items like rags, mud, and leaves as make-shift pads.
For those who don't have vaginas, not only would this be extremely uncomfortable, it's also potentially life-threatening to use these items as a pad place-holder.
Today, many organizations focus on arming these girls with the education and supplies necessary to handle their cycles. Even the government has stepped in to provide pads to girls who attend state schools in an effort to promote menstrual health. Niine themselves have a goal to become a partner with the Indian government, and their mission is to "drive menstrual health and hygiene awareness by providing affordable solutions and breaking international boundaries.”
Alas, COVID has once again come to ruin the party. In these pandemic times the access to sanitary pads has become even more limited. For reference, only 60% of sanitary pad factories in India are running, and even those that are open are operating at limited capacity. Though progress has been made, there's still a long road ahead to get every Indian woman access to these supplies.
Look at their matching masks!
Bleeding Love
Considering the additional challenges faced over COVID, this period partnership is coming at the right time. It's crucial for men to be on board with women's safety, and what better way to reach that demographic than through sport? Not only is this sponsorship groundbreaking for India, but we have never seen a female sanitary product partnership (that I could find) in men’s sports in general. Frankly, breaking this barrier is a huge step for women all over the world, and I love to see it.
Naturally the first thing I did after reading the news was follow the Rajasthan Royals on Instagram. Not only are they all adorable (I highly recommend the follow), but I found that the Royals also offer a sports management program, have a foundation partnership to help de-stigmatize periods in India, run their own podcast, and have the most precious matching pink masks. This is an example of men’s sports doing it right, and I am blown away.
Imagine, for a minute, if the Toronto Maple Leafs adorned feminist jerseys and advocated for menstrual health.
Now imagine they had a podcast where they shared their feelings about it.
That seems laughable, right? Yet, as we already noted, taking this pro-menstruation stance is a much bigger deal in India. Why couldn't we have the same kind of partnership here? Personally, I can't fathom an NHL franchise ever stepping up in support of any cause, not to mention so strongly in favour of women.
Instead, we get headlines like this:
How charming.
Just can't get enough of them
My Cravings
One of the main reasons we love sports is because of the players. These people are celebrities and, whether we like it or not, examples for young athletes. That said, we barely hold these players accountable for their actions off the field, and I think the teams have a lot to do with it. Time and time again we see news of domestic violence, misogyny, and sexual assault plaguing the major leagues.
We may never see an end to problematic players, but is it so crazy to think that franchises can be held more accountable? Individual behaviour aside, should we not expect sports teams to be socially responsible as a unit? These teams exist in the public eye, and we can and should expect them to do more, even if it's as small as a mandatory volunteer day for their players.
Personally, I think the world would be a kinder place if every NHLer was contractually obligated to do a shift at a rape crisis hotline once a season.
Just a thought.
It’s disheartening, but the fact of the matter is we need men's voices in support of feminist ideas. For genders to be equal, they also have to be equally supported, but in the sports world women are left behind. From women’s sports coverage, to programming for female fans, to the products advertised, women are not given the same kind of space as men.
As much as there are companies and women’s leagues trying to change that narrative, the sad reality is that one or two male teams stepping up could make a huge world of difference. We see it with the WNBA all the time. Kobe Bryant (R.I.P.) and Steph Curry have made the women’s league more popular, and I thank them for that. That said I think it's high time we see support from more than just the individual athletes who feel inclined to say something.
In my opinion, "with her, we rise" should be on everyone's back, all of the time. Or, at least until a time when I can pick a new tampon brand in between periods (of the game).
