In a country where contraceptives are restricted despite overwhelming demand, we needed to find a way for women to have access to contraceptives without talking about contraceptives. So Bayer empowered women with a beauty pill that has contraceptive effects, together with a women’s health literacy campaign called Beauty is a Choice. We sought to inform women about the broad array of choices she can make to be beautiful – from skincare and beauty tips to more medical choices. We created a safe space where women can talk about sensitive topics on health, relationships and life in general, without having men to dictate how they should think and act. When women’s lives were at risk from the contraceptive ban, we helped women get access to pills that kept them safe.

As we knew we were going to deal with intimate and sensitive topics, we needed to find a platform where women can feel comfortable and secure. With this, we took on a grassroots approach and created a Facebook group to reach women and get them to be more informed about their bodies. We created a closed group where women can comfortable open up and seek advice. In this group, the important discussions went hand in hand – tips from Bayer and doctors, conversations from members with regards to their women’s health issues, and day-to-day sisterhood topics. In addition, on-ground sessions in different offices were also mounted by the brand to broaden reach. The women who participated in these sessions were then invited to the Facebook group, so they can be more empowered to exercise their right to choose.

Soon after its launch, we achieved a 9% engagement rate vs 2% industry standard. More and more members are also taking part in the conversations, with 95% active members vs 20% benchmark. Many women were there to ask for help and support each other as they were given the confidence to do so. All this showing how women stand with the cause and just needed a slight push to uphold how they have a choice. And while we do not take credit for it, we cheered the decision of the Supreme Court to lift the ban on contraceptive products within months of the campaign launch.