As a dad of two young girls, working on Lil-Lets has presented some of the most profound insights.
In South Africa, about 30% of girls stay home from school each month when they have their period. This problem is layered – from awareness/availability to cultural stigma (University of Pretoria research) and everything in between.
As a result, these barriers have made it increasingly difficult for teens to open up about their period to their parents and guardians.
This is a really important story for us. We want to be – and we want you to be – the Cycle Breakers. Anyone can break the cycle of shame and stigma and Lil-Lets is the brand that has the credibility and, most importantly, tools to arm you for impact.
Real people
We purposefully cast real people with no acting experience, real moms and daughters, in order to capture their nervousness and vulnerability.
We sat on the floors of bathroom stalls distracting them, talking about unrelated topics as they opened pads, in order to observe their faces move from awkwardness to relief and even joy; not the artificial kind too many competitors in the category end up manufacturing in their ads.
This piece is several years in the making, from the inception of Kathryn‘s strategies and creative direction, and our relationship with Keryn Brien – pre-Covid – and the rest of the Lil-Lets team. It’s been an Odyssey.
Kath is on the other side of the world now, but her groundwork and infinite hours in the trenches have been the building blocks for the global, award-winning work that the brand continues to produce. Thank you KM.
Thank you Keryn Kayli Koketso Mei Kgothatso Lesche-Ann Elizma Sarah Carolyn Corrinne Megan Binwe Megan Nobuhle Nomkhosi Pippa Jamie Hayley Rachael Nombulelo and everyone else who’s been a chapter in this story… Break the Cycle at Lil-Lets.com
Mike Sharman is chief creative officer at Retroviral.
