‘I was in a senior position at work, which wasn’t particularly common for a woman in my field, and suddenly I was overcome with this total brain fog. It felt harder to do my job and at the time, I had the feeling that when I walked into a meeting everyone was wondering ‘what’s wrong with her?’ I had periods of extreme low confidence and times when I wondered if I should just stop working altogether.’

This is just part of the story which sits at the heart of an impactful new print campaign from Boots, created by VMLY&R/The Pharm. 

The hard-hitting campaign is a powerful reminder of the impact of moving beyond stereotypes to acknowledge the lived experiences of your target audience. By utilising long-form copy to tell the whole story of a woman’s experience of the menopause,  the campaign successfully highlights the untold and often hidden impacts of the menopause on a woman’s self-esteem and life. 

There are 15.5 million perimenopausal and menopausal women in the UK. Of these, 90% with menopausal symptoms struggled to identify them at the time as being the result of the menopause. On average it took 14 months to make the connection between the symptoms they were experiencing and the culprit (the menopause).

The new campaign aims to encourage open up conversations about the symptoms and treatment of menopause. The work is the latest move by the brand to normalise the topic of the menopause. A practical and empathetic approach designed to help women navigate the facts and gain the knowledge to find the right support, advocating for their needs.

The print campaign has redacted text on one side, which describes commonly referred to symptoms of menopause. Whereas on the right, the unredacted text reveals a personal account based on real experiences. The full print version underlines the truth behind the presumption, highlighting that menopause is highly personal and symptoms experienced can vary from person to person.

The campaign is the latest move from Boots to better understand and offer support for the 40+ signs and symptoms of menopause. The retailer offers specific menopause training for all employees. This increased offering allows Boots to help customers find what’s right for their menopause experience both online and in-store.

The campaign, which beautifully utilises long-form copy, is a powerful reminder of the role of creativity to move away from outdated stereotypes and instead tell the whole story.

To mark Menopause Awareness Month last year Boots launched a dedicated pop-up shop.