Whisper Launches ‘The Missing Chapter’: Empowering Girls in India with #KeepGirlsInSchool Movement
Whisper, a leading feminine care brand in India, has launched a powerful film called ‘The Missing Chapter’ as part of its impactful #KeepGirlsInSchool movement.
70% mothers in India don’t know the biology of periods. They can’t teach their daughters something they were never taught. Lack of period awareness forces 1 in 5 girls to drop out of school. We are on a mission to educate moms about periods and YOU can help us make a difference. For every pack of Whisper Ultra you buy between 15th March to 30th April, we will provide period education to moms and daughters, along with free pads.
Together, we can educate moms to #KeepGirlsInSchool.
The campaign film, created by Leo Burnett, aims to shed light on the crucial issue of period education and its impact on girls’ education. It showcases how the absence of comprehensive menstrual education in Indian textbooks contributes to girls missing school days. Whisper recognizes period poverty as a serious problem in India, where societal stigma and shame surrounding menstruation hinder millions of individuals from living healthy and fulfilling lives. By championing menstrual hygiene and education, Whisper aims to empower young girls and achieve 100% menstrual hygiene adoption throughout the country.
The film emphasizes the persistent taboos associated with menstruation in India, particularly among young girls. Due to the lack of proper education and the stigma surrounding periods, girls miss out on significant school days, often leading to dropping out entirely. This emotionally charged yet educational film underscores Whisper’s mission to integrate period education into schools.
Despite the pandemic’s impact on people from all walks of life, it has disproportionately affected girls and women, making it even more challenging to achieve social progress. School closures have jeopardized the future of countless young girls in India, as menstruation does not pause for the pandemic. Shockingly, studies reveal that 23 million girls drop out of school when they start menstruating, and 71% of adolescent girls in India lack awareness about menstruation until their first period. The pandemic has further exacerbated this issue, with an additional one million girls facing a loss of education due to the lack of period education and menstrual hygiene.
In its comprehensive approach to raising awareness about period education, Whisper is not only creating impact through its campaign film but also through 25 impactful wall paintings across India. These paintings incorporate regional art forms such as Madhubani, Bhil, and Bhosli to spread awareness about period education. Additionally, during the month of March, Whisper is introducing 11,000 limited edition covers featuring brand ambassador Bhumi Pednekar, which can be shared with young girls to educate them about the importance of menstrual hygiene and proper pad usage.
Credits
Agency: Leo Burnett, India
CEO & Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett: Rajdeepak Das
CEO & Chief Strategy Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett: Dheeraj Sinha
National Creative Director: Sachin Kamble
Executive Creative Director: Sonal Chhajerh
Executive Vice President: Niket Kumar
Associate Executive Creative Director: Gaurav Kumar
Creative Director: Indrajeet Kadam
Copywriter: Kaizeen Vankadia
Sr. Art Director: Rituja Ghadge
Brand Services Partner: Andrea D’Souza
Brand Services Associate: Purvi Bakliwal
Associate Vice President (Strategy): Noor Samra
Brand Strategy Director: Anjali Kamath
Head of films department: Jignesh Maru
Executive Producer: Anil Sonawane
Director: Akanksha Seda
Production company: Offroad films
