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Category
Integrated / Traditional
Annual ID
ADC104_ADV094M
Background
Since their beginning in 2013, the global period intimates brand Knix has been on a mission to empower menstruators. However, despite Knix’s continuous efforts to normalize periods, they’re still taboo in sports. Indeed, blood is seen as a badge of honor in sports. Yet, 1 in 2 teens quits sports out of fear of blood leakage, because their blood is treated with shame.
To normalize periods in sports once and for all, Knix launched the Sport Your Period initiative with two goals in mind:
Position Knix as a leading force in initiating conversations to normalize periods in sports.
Empower teens to keep practicing the sports they love, periods or not.
This was not a small task, considering that at the time of this campaign, eight states in the US had banned the topic in primary education, and 20% of Canadians were of the belief that conversations about periods should not be held publicly. We needed to find a powerful way to break through.
To normalize periods in sports once and for all, Knix launched the Sport Your Period initiative with two goals in mind:
Position Knix as a leading force in initiating conversations to normalize periods in sports.
Empower teens to keep practicing the sports they love, periods or not.
This was not a small task, considering that at the time of this campaign, eight states in the US had banned the topic in primary education, and 20% of Canadians were of the belief that conversations about periods should not be held publicly. We needed to find a powerful way to break through.
Creative Idea
The idea was simple: Instead of hiding their period, we asked athletes to sport it.
To normalize periods in sports, we designed a simple decal to be worn by athletes during competitions to show the world that they’re on their period. The decal is period-shaped and period color, sweatproof, nonobstructive, and visible on every skin tone. Our unbranded decal bypassed sponsorship rules, creating a unique sponsorship across major professional leagues – making periods visible on the global stage.
We then invited athletes to publicly talk about their periods during the Olympics – hijacking the world’s biggest sporting event. Knix partnered with world-class athletes – those who don’t let their period stop them from competing, breaking records, and winning medals. By paying athletes to publicly talk about their periods, Knix became the first-ever sponsor of menstruating athletes.
To normalize periods in sports, we designed a simple decal to be worn by athletes during competitions to show the world that they’re on their period. The decal is period-shaped and period color, sweatproof, nonobstructive, and visible on every skin tone. Our unbranded decal bypassed sponsorship rules, creating a unique sponsorship across major professional leagues – making periods visible on the global stage.
We then invited athletes to publicly talk about their periods during the Olympics – hijacking the world’s biggest sporting event. Knix partnered with world-class athletes – those who don’t let their period stop them from competing, breaking records, and winning medals. By paying athletes to publicly talk about their periods, Knix became the first-ever sponsor of menstruating athletes.
Insights & Strategy
In sports, blood is glorified. It’s associated with effort, devotion, and selflessness – except for one blood: period blood. Athletes wear their blood like it’s a badge of honor. All the while, period blood is stigmatized, hidden, shameful. Athletes are publicly called disgusting when they leak through their uniforms.
That’s probably why 1 in 2 teens skips sports to hide their period. They’re dropping out of sports they love, ashamed of something normal. Periods in sports are still a taboo topic even though they are a reality for almost all menstruating athletes.
With the help of CAN Fund #150Women, we surveyed hundreds of top athletes about periods in sports. Here’s what we learned:
99% of athletes have competed at an international competition while on their period
75% of athletes have a fear of leakage while competing
64% of athletes have felt uncomfortable talking about their period with their coaches
Even more staggering is the lengths that athletes will go to, to avoid getting their period, for fear it will hinder their performance. And despite significant strides in breaking down barriers, to this day, periods remain shrouded in shame. Some states are even attempting to ban the topic in primary education.
To end the stigma, we needed to flip the narrative and transform period blood into a symbol of pride. We saw the need for role models, to show teens (and the world) how periods shouldn’t affect one’s performance. After all, athletes of all levels compete in front of countless people at any time of the month, whether they are bleeding or not.
Asking athletes to speak up would certainly inspire people to engage in sports fearlessly. Because the more we talk about periods in sports, the more we normalize periods in sports.
That’s probably why 1 in 2 teens skips sports to hide their period. They’re dropping out of sports they love, ashamed of something normal. Periods in sports are still a taboo topic even though they are a reality for almost all menstruating athletes.
With the help of CAN Fund #150Women, we surveyed hundreds of top athletes about periods in sports. Here’s what we learned:
99% of athletes have competed at an international competition while on their period
75% of athletes have a fear of leakage while competing
64% of athletes have felt uncomfortable talking about their period with their coaches
Even more staggering is the lengths that athletes will go to, to avoid getting their period, for fear it will hinder their performance. And despite significant strides in breaking down barriers, to this day, periods remain shrouded in shame. Some states are even attempting to ban the topic in primary education.
To end the stigma, we needed to flip the narrative and transform period blood into a symbol of pride. We saw the need for role models, to show teens (and the world) how periods shouldn’t affect one’s performance. After all, athletes of all levels compete in front of countless people at any time of the month, whether they are bleeding or not.
Asking athletes to speak up would certainly inspire people to engage in sports fearlessly. Because the more we talk about periods in sports, the more we normalize periods in sports.
Execution
Given a limited budget, Sport Your Period was launched with a phased approach. We launched the program first, and then took advantage of the Olympics’ momentum to amplify it.
First, we designed a sweatproof decal that athletes could wear during competitions to show the world that they’re on their period. We sent out the decal to competing athletes. Many were made ambassadors and wore the period badge during competitions – sending a powerful message that periods shouldn’t stop anyone from playing the sport they love.
When the Olympics came around, we realized that our decal couldn’t accommodate the strict sponsorship regulations. We partnered with former Olympics soccer gold medalist and advocate Megan Rapinoe to issue a rallying cry right before the games: we asked athletes to talk about their periods. Instead of paying for a multimillion-dollar official Olympics sponsorship, Knix paid athletes every time they mentioned their period during any official competition. There was no need to mention Sport Your Period, or Knix.
Whenever athletes were given the opportunity to speak publicly about competing while on their period, they were eligible. To be paid, athletes were asked to visit SportYourPeriod.com and submit their application. Knix offered up to $1,000 CAD for athletes to share their experience between July 18 and November 1, 2024.
The public was also invited to share this initiative with their favorite athletes to encourage as many competing athletes as possible to join the movement. A campaign was launched to build awareness around the program. Athletes were invited to participate through a full-page advertisement in The New York Times, a billboard in Times Square, and geo-targeted social ads (Meta) posted in many airports where athletes would board flights to the Olympics, including CDG, LAX, ATL, ORD, EWR, and JFK. Many Olympians joined the movement.
First, we designed a sweatproof decal that athletes could wear during competitions to show the world that they’re on their period. We sent out the decal to competing athletes. Many were made ambassadors and wore the period badge during competitions – sending a powerful message that periods shouldn’t stop anyone from playing the sport they love.
When the Olympics came around, we realized that our decal couldn’t accommodate the strict sponsorship regulations. We partnered with former Olympics soccer gold medalist and advocate Megan Rapinoe to issue a rallying cry right before the games: we asked athletes to talk about their periods. Instead of paying for a multimillion-dollar official Olympics sponsorship, Knix paid athletes every time they mentioned their period during any official competition. There was no need to mention Sport Your Period, or Knix.
Whenever athletes were given the opportunity to speak publicly about competing while on their period, they were eligible. To be paid, athletes were asked to visit SportYourPeriod.com and submit their application. Knix offered up to $1,000 CAD for athletes to share their experience between July 18 and November 1, 2024.
The public was also invited to share this initiative with their favorite athletes to encourage as many competing athletes as possible to join the movement. A campaign was launched to build awareness around the program. Athletes were invited to participate through a full-page advertisement in The New York Times, a billboard in Times Square, and geo-targeted social ads (Meta) posted in many airports where athletes would board flights to the Olympics, including CDG, LAX, ATL, ORD, EWR, and JFK. Many Olympians joined the movement.
Results
Across both phases, we sparked an unignorable conversation with Sport Your Period, earning 435M media impressions worldwide on online articles, radio, and TV hits – along with getting some of the most influential athletes on the planet who were using their platforms (mostly Instagram and TikTok) to talk about periods online and on television.
In short, we’ve made Sport Your Period a top conversation, giving periods prime-time visibility:
31+ hours of continuous visibility in major sports competitions
684% earned coverage value
412% increase in online searches for Knix
More importantly, the campaign sparked widespread conversations and recruited new Knix ambassadors. The program was also expanded to schools, empowering the next generation to stay in sports regardless of their periods.
In short, we’ve made Sport Your Period a top conversation, giving periods prime-time visibility:
31+ hours of continuous visibility in major sports competitions
684% earned coverage value
412% increase in online searches for Knix
More importantly, the campaign sparked widespread conversations and recruited new Knix ambassadors. The program was also expanded to schools, empowering the next generation to stay in sports regardless of their periods.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit Honor
Credits
Agency
Rethink / Toronto
Client
Nicole Tapscott
Joanna Griffiths
Dave Barber
Marlena D'Ambrosio
Client / Brand
Knix Wear
Production Company
Santo Proyecto
00001
Music / Sound Production Company
Circonflex
Art Director
Patrick Seymour
Chief Strategy Officer
Sean McDonald
Copywriter
Andrée-Anne Hallé
Creative Director
Jonathan Lavoie
Director
Édith Jorisch
Director of Photography
Alejandro Guemez
Olivier Gossot
Executive Creative Director
Xavier Blais
Global Chief Creative Officer
Aaron Starkman
Motion Designer
Ignacio Florez
Photographer
Arturo Fincowsky
Luis Silva
David Picard
Sound Designer
Craig Murdock
Martin Boisselle
Broadcast Producer
Éliane Chartier
1st Assistant Director
Oswald Moreira
2nd Assistant Director
Melissa Rollin
Account Services
Mélanie Châteauneuf
Gabrielle Bergeron
Noémie Trottier
Viviane Griffin-Mathieu
Assistant Stylist
Candice Marie Jones
Brand Narrative
Kristel Dupont
Mégane Landry
Chenda McKissick
Kaitlyn Vian
Maya Ventresca
Janvi Singh
Quynn Campbell
Client Supervisor
Emily Scarlett
Deniz Melen
Executive Producer & Associate
Stephanie Lord
Hair & Make up
Caroline Levine
Line Producer
Alejandro Rosas
Michel Boily
Print producer
Scott Russell
Jonathan Cesar
Frederick Bailleul
Rahima Rajabali
Jan Day
Production Coordinator
Julie Garcia
Production Designer
Jean-Marc Renaud
Production Manager
Jean-François Neault
Stylist
Courtney Mays
Unit manager
Christophe Lareau
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