Sarabeth Yglesias

This project was awarded a Wooden Pencil at the D&AD New Blood Awards in July 2019, and was in response to a McKinsey Design & The Case For Her brief .

Meet dottie.

dottie at first glance might seem like the hippest new period product brand, joining the ranks of millennial brands like saalt and Cora, but in fact is a movement to open up a conversation about period poverty in the U.S. - an issue that affects nearly one in four American women.

Check out the 90 second recap below (and hear my voice!), or keep scrolling for more of our strategic thinking & executions.

Problem

Every year, period poverty impacts over 40 million women in the U.S.

Without the proper products, people with periods are forced to create makeshift pads and tampons out of things like rags, socks, and even leaves, negatively impacting their health and dignity.

The U.S. is in the midst of a period revolution for the elite.

Millennials with money are excited about menstrual cups, period underwear, and organic tampons. Meanwhile, many Americans lack the basics for managing their cycles.

Opportunity

Introduce privileged menstruators to the harsh reality of period poverty.

The campaign for dottie looks like it’s advertising the hippest new period product brand. Closer inspection reveals the true message: these unhygienic alternatives are the norm for many menstruators.

The website explains that dottie is not a real brand, but a movement to fight period poverty in partnership with PERIOD, Inc. The site serves to educate and drive donations for this larger cause. By acting as a trojan horse in the world of beautiful, Instagrammy brands, dottie is able to open up a conversation about period poverty and basic human dignity with the people most able to pitch in and help.

Bringing it to life

Out-of-home and Instagram ads feature beautiful hero images of these makeshift period products that are normally kept secret.

Digital ads call this privileged menstruator audience to learn more, and understand what dottie is really about.

What I did

Research, strategic direction, final slide deliverable design & copy, video voice over.