Whisper is a leading sanitary pad brand in India. But in 2012, its key competitor through a new approach reframed the category language and drove conversations that made its brand more newsworthy and relevant to the young urban woman. Whisper felt the heat of this with the slowing sales on Whisper Ultra.
We needed to regain sales and relevance by re-asserting a new “contemporary conversation” about periods with young urban women, in a new, socially-interesting, fame generating way.
Analysis pointed us to deep rooted period taboos still alive in the 21st century. Taboos that fed a culture of shame that lead to young women growing up with a disgraceful sense of self. Taboos like not going to the temple during their periods, entering the kitchen, and even touching pickles, for fear they would rot with their touch.
‘Touch the Pickle’ was a brave social movement by Whisper that boldly took on the culture of shame propagated through archaic periods taboos. Through an integrated approach, Whisper inspired young women to speak up and challenge these period taboos that hold them back.
In doing so, Whisper created a national conversation that got over 2.9 million women to participate and generated over millions in free-media and publicity. With this it also grew key brand relevance parameters and speed up sales.