Libresse normalises menstrual health convos with interactive tour of the womb

Libresse Malaysia, known for pushing the boundaries in its marketing, launches an interactive experience for users to explore the womb. Titled Wonders of the Womb, the campaign begins with a virtual discovery interactive experience on a microsite and aims to deepen awareness and normalise conversations on women's menstrual health. The campaign was done by Invictus Blue and enables consumers to take a deep dive into their reproductive system and learn more about the gift of womanhood.

Other initiatives include retail promotions, on-ground initiatives in malls, universities and other locations through roving trucks around Malaysia. It will also partner up with advocates of Peduli Merah who are dedicated to addressing period poverty. A+M has reached out to Libresse for additional information.

Vinda Malaysia's feminine care marketing manager, Cheryl Wang, said that there is a low understanding of women's health even in modern times. Vinda's consumer research found that two in three women find it difficult to ask questions or talk openly about the topic. In light of this information gap, Libresse will continue to level up on its commitment to support women in discovering more of the V-Zone, building an environment where women are empowered to live the life they want without shame and self-doubt, she added. 

Patricia Lim Su-Lyn, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said: “V-Zone knowledge and empowerment comes hand in hand. Many young women have questions they are afraid to ask, therefore don’t know how to better care for their V-Zone, or even recognise signs that something is wrong and seek medical advice.” From puberty with the onset of menstruation to other milestones of womanhood such as fertility, childbearing and menopause, Lim explained that women have long-term and more frequent reproductive healthcare needs than men. As such, "being empowered to care for and protect the V-Zone and stay healthy is crucial," she added. 

In addition to the microsite, Libresse Malaysia will also upload a series of short videos on the A to Z of the womb on its TikTok channel, as well as a livestream of the Libresse Wonders of the Womb event on its Facebook. Jointly organised with Peduli Merah and the International Islamic University of Malaysia Student Union, the event will also gather a panel of speakers, including Dr. Fatimah Al-Attas, advisor of Peduli Merah and assistant professor; IIUM Gombak Campus and Lim Su-Lyn. According to Libresse, women across Malaysia will be able to hear and interact with the experts as they expound on a range of topics related to V-Zone health, including period poverty. 

“Menstruation is a natural part of being a woman. Menstrual health should be accessible to all and should not be associated with shame or stigma,” said Fatimah. She explained that women experience period poverty when they are discriminated against or excluded from social life and are unable to access menstrual products, sexual reproductive education, timely and affordable medical care and attention, as well as clean water, proper sanitation facilities, and the privacy to manage their menstrual health. 

Additionally, through its collaboration with Peduli Merah, Libresse has pledged to donate 10,000 packs of sanitary pads to the disadvantaged communities in conjunction with World Menstrual Hygiene Day.

Libresse has sought to think out of the box when touching on menstrual health topics. For example, it released the Stationer-V Box, a stationery holder last year that was designed to move emergency pads out of bottom drawers and onto desktops. Done in collaboration also with Muma, Libresse aimed to encourage women to not be shy about their periods. The Stationer-V Box was printed with subtle illustrations of vulvas within the design disguised as a regular tropical floral design. According to the brand, the idea came about after its global survey showed that almost 90% of women hide their periods, and more than 50% would rather ask their boss for a pay raise than admit they are on their period in the office. 

Meanwhile, it also came up with a vulva-inspired ad campaign last year which was eventually withdrawn after non-profit religious organisation YADIM Muslim Women's Council called it out for misusing an image of a woman's private part on an ad design for its sanitary products in September last year. The campaign was done in partnership with creative agency Muma Malaysia, where the brand reimagined the Nyonya kebaya chrysanthemum and peony designs with the vulva as the heart of the floral embroidery. Libresse sought to spread a message to women that they should be proud and confident in their own skin regardless of the shape, size, or cultural diversity through this campaign. 

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