Kotex’s campaign, centered on the story of Lea Campos, one of the first female football referees globally, positions the brand as an advocate for breaking gender and menstrual stigmas that limit women’s opportunities. The core proposition is that menstruation should not be a barrier to women's ambitions—encapsulated in the tagline "period or not, she can." By highlighting Lea’s pioneering fight against institutional prejudice in the male-dominated world of football refereeing, Kotex underscores its commitment to empowering women to overcome social taboos and systemic biases.
Strategically, the campaign leverages the cultural prominence of football in Brazil to engage a broad audience naturally attuned to themes of competition and achievement. The choice to tell Lea’s story through a poignant narrative film places emphasis on historical and emotional resonance, providing a humanized lens on menstruation-related discrimination rarely addressed in mainstream advertising. This creative angle connects authentically with women who face similar preconceptions, strengthening brand relevance among feminists and progressives seeking empowerment. Complementing the film is a content and influencer strategy engaging prominent Brazilian female figures from sports and culture, which supports broader social dialogue and amplifies reach. Overall, the market approach uses a culturally significant platform to challenge entrenched gender norms, aligning Kotex with social progressiveness while addressing traditionally neglected issues of menstrual stigma in a country with a passionate football following.
FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution.
This campaign fits the "Exemplary Story" format because it centers around the real-life journey of Lea Campos, one of the world’s first female football referees, dramatizing her personal struggle against prejudice—specifically linking those barriers to the stigma of menstruation. The narrative chronicles her resilience via specific scenes (the tunnel, the field, the confrontation with officials) and ties her triumph directly to Kotex’s message that periods should not hinder women’s ambitions. The product is entwined in the story’s resolution by reframing menstruation as a surmountable barrier, not through demonstration or benefit-simulation, but by showing the real impact of breaking that stigma, making the story’s arc, emotional resonance, and brand promise inseparable.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Always – Positioned as a trusted global leader in feminine hygiene, Always focuses on empowering women through confidence and comfort. Their campaigns often emphasize active lifestyles and breakthrough innovations in absorbency and protection, appealing to young, modern women who seek reliability and freshness during their periods.
2. Intimus – Also under Kimberly-Clark, Intimus targets primarily the Brazilian market with a strong emphasis on breaking taboos around menstruation. Its positioning is rooted in female empowerment and education, promoting period positivity and offering a wide range of products designed for comfort and freedom in everyday activities.
3. Carefree – Differentiates itself by focusing on daily freshness and light protection, catering to women’s hygiene beyond menstruation. Carefree’s strategic angle includes innovation in liners and breathable products, targeting younger consumers who value convenience, comfort, and confidence in both intimate and casual moments.
4. Sempre Livre – A leading Brazilian brand by Johnson & Johnson, Sempre Livre combines product performance with strong cultural connection. It positions itself as a supporter of women’s independence and carefree spirit, using vibrant, youthful marketing that encourages women to embrace life without restrictions or stereotypes around menstruation.
5. Libresse – Libresse sets itself apart through bold, unapologetic campaigns that challenge social stigmas and gender norms related to periods. It advocates for openness and inclusivity while innovating in product design for enhanced comfort and protection, appealing to socially conscious women who seek brands aligned with modern feminism.
Q: What is The first female football referee. about?
A: The first female football referee. is a 2022 campaign created by Ogilvy for Kotex, under its local brand Intimus, in the Brazilian market. The campaign centers on a short film that tells the real-life story of Lea Campos, one of the world’s first female football referees, who overcame institutional barriers and gender prejudice—specifically the stigma surrounding menstruation—to officiate at the highest levels of the sport. By dramatizing her struggle and ultimate triumph, the campaign aims to challenge societal taboos and reinforce Kotex’s message that menstruation should never limit women’s ambitions.
Q: What creative device does The first female football referee. use?
A: The first female football referee. employs the Exemplary Story format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach places the product at the heart of a real-life narrative, dramatizing Lea Campos’s journey against prejudice and linking her barriers directly to menstrual stigma. The campaign’s three-minute film uses historical reenactment and emotionally charged dialogue to humanize the issue, making the product’s role inseparable from the story’s resolution. By reframing menstruation as a surmountable barrier, the narrative delivers the brand promise through lived experience rather than overt product demonstration.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for The first female football referee.?
A: The campaign proposition for The first female football referee. is that menstruation should never be a barrier to women’s ambitions, encapsulated in Kotex’s signature message: period or not, she can. By spotlighting Lea Campos’s pioneering fight against institutional and cultural prejudice in football refereeing, Kotex positions itself as an advocate for female empowerment and the dismantling of menstrual stigma. The campaign targets a broad audience, particularly women and progressives in Brazil, using the culturally significant platform of football to drive home the importance of overcoming social taboos and systemic biases in the beauty and personal care category.
Q: How does The first female football referee. rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: The first female football referee. holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 64/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive.
Q: Who are the competitors in Kotex's category?
A: In Kotex’s category, key competitors include Always, which is positioned as a global leader in feminine hygiene with a focus on empowering women through confidence and product innovation; Intimus, which targets the Brazilian market with an emphasis on breaking menstrual taboos and promoting period positivity; Carefree, which differentiates itself by focusing on daily freshness and light protection for women’s hygiene beyond menstruation; Sempre Livre, a leading Brazilian brand that combines product performance with cultural connection and encourages women’s independence; and Libresse, known for bold campaigns that challenge social stigmas and advocate for openness and inclusivity in menstrual health.
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