According to research, 25% of women in the US and Türkiye believe that women's progress is regressing. Therefore, ahead of the 2024 International Women's Day, Kotex made a global decision to initiate a local and cultural conversation about the ongoing obstacles women face worldwide. With its philosophy "Period or not, she can," Kotex decided to address women's progress with a challenger brand stance, advocating for unhindered advancement. Thus, the campaign aimed to celebrate how far we've come in women's progress while being transparent about areas where we haven't made as much progress as desired. We decided to launch a campaign on 8 March to reach all women, provide a platform, and inspire change. The campaign aims to promote gender equality, empower women, and break taboos surrounding menstruation.

In 2023, Türkiye entered its second century. However, Turkish women still experience discomfort due to oppression, violence, inequality, menstruation stigma, and many other areas where progress is lacking. As a country celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic, we wanted to raise awareness that we are not satisfied with the level of progress women have achieved. We aimed to emphasize the need not to turn a blind eye to this discomfort and lack of progress by launching an effective social media campaign and gaining momentum in progress. We started with the creative idea, "Do we have a face to act like there's nothing when women feel uncomfortable just because they're women or just because they're menstruating?" Additionally, since "100" and "face" are the same word in Turkish, we created a wordplay referencing both meanings.

The PR strategy for Kotex's campaign in Türkiye centered on challenging the persistent societal discomfort surrounding women's issues, particularly menstruation. Recognizing the need for a stronger dialogue on women's rights and empowerment, the campaign leveraged the insightful message "Shame Off Period" to confront and dispel taboos. Aimed at women, especially those active on social media, the strategy included a carefully selected mix of influencers and celebrities to ensure the message resonated widely. The campaign employed a variety of digital assets, including impactful videos, engaging infographics, and heartfelt testimonials. These were distributed across multiple social media platforms to maximize reach and engagement. By encouraging open discussions and raising awareness, the campaign aimed to change perceptions and behaviors regarding women’s comfort and equality. This comprehensive approach ensured that the key message was not only heard but also acted upon, fostering a significant shift in public discourse.

We decided to launch a social media campaign to highlight the discomforts experienced by women, including menstrual problems. We included 19 notable male and female celebrities who covered their faces with their hands during the teaser stage. Then, we gradually implemented our campaign, which conveys the various ailments experienced by women. Its general content is framed around the idea that "as citizens of a country that has entered its 100th year, we cannot ignore that women still face many obstacles to progress." In addition, every social media post with the #ShameOffPeriod hashtag was turned into a donation to provide sanitary pad support to women. Finally, we provided menstrual education to men in cafes to combat the stigma surrounding menstruation and eliminate this obstacle for women. We distributed menstrual products to everyone in traffic, in neighborhood markets, and on public ferries.

The "Shame Off Period" campaign achieved remarkable results, reflected in both media outputs and audience outcomes. The videos shared on Instagram reached an astounding 863.343,199 individuals, with 263.076,532 views and 68,531,828 complete watches, indicating deep engagement. The interactions totaled 4,325,380, showcasing strong audience engagement and positive sentiment towards the campaign’s message and delivery. The target audience outcomes were significant, with a notable increase in awareness and comprehension of the issues surrounding women's comfort and menstruation. The campaign effectively shifted perceptions and attitudes towards these topics, encouraging more open and supportive discussions. The strategic use of celebrity influence and timely content release around International Women’s Day maximized the impact, contributing to Kotex’s strengthened brand equity and reputation within the market.