Period poverty is a huge problem in the UK. 1 in 10 young women and girls aged 14-21 can’t afford or access sanitary products. As a result, many rely on unhygienic alternatives, like socks, loo roll or newspaper. However 45% of people still haven’t heard of period poverty.

Launched in January 2018, Hey Girls is a social enterprise created to end period poverty by selling buy-one-give-one period products. For every box of product sold, a box of equal quality goes to someone in need across the UK.

Our brief was to come up with a creative idea to raise awareness of period poverty; in order to increase donations of Hey Girls period products, and to pressure the government to change related legislation.

We created a new brand of sanitary pads with a shocking difference: UNsanitary made the experience of period poverty feel momentarily real, especially for the 45% who aren’t aware it exists.

Inside slick, modern packaging designed to be eye-catching onshelf, were the unsanitary alternatives that 1 in 10 UK girls really have to use. There were 3 products. Socks, newspaper and loo roll; for heavy, medium and light flow periods. The lining of the products was also designed to evoke a double take. A bacteria pattern, which appears initially beautiful, but disgusting once you look closer.

The idea centred around promoting UNsanitary exactly as we would a real new brand, with a fully integrated advertising campaign and influencer support. We even launched in ASDA, next to well-known competitors.

At every touchpoint UNsanitary appeared initially eye-catching and appealing, but a closer look revealed the shocking truth, prompting consumers to take action.

The latest research shows that still only 55% of Brits recognise the extent of period poverty in the UK. In fact, it’s long been dismissed by the UK government with recent shifts only scratching the surface. This is unfair, unacceptable and unsanitary.

With limited budget, we needed to do something that would capture attention and earn an unfair share of voice. To do that we needed to shock people about the reality of UK period poverty.

Our audience was everyone, although the core target was period product buyers, because they will drive results for Hey Girls, and therefore those experiencing period poverty. Launching onshelf and at pop-ups in ASDA meant we were able to directly access those buyers and explain the problem, creating advocates and prompting purchase.

Our secondary target was policy makers, those that have the power to drive change on a bigger scale.

To raise awareness of UK period poverty & promote Hey Girls as a solution, we launched a new brand of sanitary products called UNsanitary.

We launched and promoted UNsanitary exactly as we would a real new brand. In partnership with ASDA, these packs were positioned onshelf next to other well-known period products.

We advertised UNsanitary through a variety of media: print, DOOH, online film & social. We also sent UNsanitary products to a range of influencers to ‘unbox’ as they would a real product.

We followed up with editorial in a special edition of The Big Issue containing a 24 page supplement devoted to Period Poverty, reaching a wide ABC1 audience – those that are most likely in a position to help.

This was supported with PR connecting broadcast & editorial at, and immediately after the launch instore at ASDA, designed to maximise share of voice on a low budget

After UNsanitary pads were created and launched, Hey Girls sales increased 56%. Because of their buy one give one, non profit business model this means a 56% increase in the numbers of pads donated to girls that need them, via schools, public bathrooms, food banks & community partners. The campaign brought their total donations to over 8.5 million products.

And even more importantly, in the month after the campaign launched, the Scottish government finally backed a bill to make sanitary products available free of charge “for anyone who needs them”, with Hey Girls set to be a major provider in the scheme. Monica Lennon told MSPs that "access to period products should be a right and available to all", and pledged to work with other parties to make sure the proposals are deliverable.