Ad of the Day: fake cereal brand comes with tampon ‘prize’ to tackle period poverty
It’s 2022 and period poverty still exists. For many people who menstruate, accessing sanitary products every month means stressfully weighing up either putting food on the table or tampons in the bathroom cupboard. Taking a stand and raising awareness, 72andSunny New York has joined forces with Loopholes – a fictional cereal brand where the ‘prize’ in each box isn’t a toy, but a cycle’s worth of period products.
‘Loopholes Cereal’ puts the severity of this situation on people’s radars and into the hands of politicians by drawing attention to the hard facts that nearly one in four students struggle to access care products, and over 80% of teens say they, or someone they know, have missed school because of their period.
“Period products are as necessary as toilet paper and food. Not having access to them has lasting consequences,” said Elaine Cox, executive creative director at 72andSunny New York.
“This is not just an issue for those of us who menstruate. It leads to missed days of school, it affects job performance and leads to physical and mental hardships. It touches entire families. The solution is not a mystery. It’s time to address this ridiculous inequity and put an end to it once and for all.”
The campaign has been a team effort, with collaborations with nonprofits including Period, Free the Period, Ignite, No More Secrets and The Flow Initiative, sustainable period care brand August and plant-based cereal brand OffLimits.
“Access to Period products is a matter of human rights, especially as these products are used monthly by over half the US population,” added Michela Bedard, executive director at Period.
“We need national policy change to address systemic period poverty, including the ability to use public benefits to purchase products. Everyone deserves to live a full life, regardless of a natural need. Period.”
Outraged by this? You should be. To take action visit LoopholesCereal.com and send a direct message to your local representative asking for their support for the Menstrual Equity For All Act.
“As a period brand, it’s our responsibility to use our platform to fight for a more positive vision of periods, and that includes advocating for more equitable access to period care,” noted Nadya Okamoto, co-founder of August.
“Menstrual products are necessities, and just as financial assistance programs cover necessities like snacks, food, cereal ... they should also cover period products.”
To make an immediate impact, visitors to the website can donate supplies to non-profit organizations and get them into the hands of those who need them most.
Keep up with the best International Women’s Day 2022 campaigns that #BreaktheBias here.
