Anika Wadhera on Sirona Hygiene’s empowering initiatives to break the period taboo

In recent years, the menstrual hygiene industry has undergone significant transformation, driven by increasing awareness and changing attitudes towards menstrual health. As more people embrace the importance of menstrual health, companies within this sector have innovated to provide sustainable and empowering solutions. These advancements are not just in product offerings, but also in addressing the stigma and myths surrounding menstruation. With the rise of digital marketing and the utilization of AI and big data, companies can now better understand their customers, tailor their messages, and reach a broader audience. The result is a more informed and supportive environment where menstrual health is openly discussed and better managed.

In conversation with Adgully, Anika Wadhera, Head of Marketing, Sirona Hygiene, delves into the inspiration behind their impactful campaigns, such as ‘Men Vs. Menstruation: The Ultimate Period Challenge!’ and the goals that they aim to achieve through their initiatives. Wadhera shares insights into Sirona’s strategies for fostering an inclusive workplace, the milestones they have reached over the past year, and how they stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. By leveraging the latest technological advancements, Sirona is pioneering efforts to normalize menstruation and promote sustainable menstrual hygiene practices, ensuring that menstruators have access to the resources and knowledge they need.

Could you tell us about the core thought behind Sirona Hygiene’s ‘Men Vs. Menstruation: The Ultimate Period Challenge!’ campaign?

With this campaign, Sirona wanted to encourage everyone to just have ‘The Bloody Conversation’. The campaign video sheds light on the lack of awareness amongst men when it comes to periods, emphasizing the importance of open and comfortable conversations about menstrual health. As part of an eye-opening experiment, men in the video are equipped with a simulator device that replicates period pain each time they answer a period-related question incorrectly. With this campaign, we wanted to emphasize that by just having ‘the bloody conversation’, we can promote a more informed, empathetic, and equitable society, where menstrual health is understood and supported. It’s time we normalize periods and ensure that menstruators have the resources and knowledge they need to manage them with dignity. Our ultimate goal is to create a more informed and supportive society where menstrual health is openly discussed and understood.

What are the key goals that Sirona Hygiene aims to achieve through its menstrual hygiene campaigns?

Our menstrual hygiene campaigns are centred around three key goals: education, normalization, and empowerment. We aim to educate both men and women about menstrual health and hygiene, dispelling myths and misconceptions. Normalizing the conversation around periods is crucial for reducing the stigma and creating an environment where menstruators can be more comfortable. Lastly, we seek to empower women by providing them with innovative, sustainable products and the knowledge to make informed choices about their menstrual health. Through these efforts, we hope to foster a society that values and supports women’s health and well-being.

With campaigns like ‘The Bloody Conversation’ and ‘Periods hi to hai’, we have tried to normalise periods. The ‘Breaking Taboos’ campaign, where we created- an electrifying rage room experience, drew over 200 women to literally break taboos. By physically breaking the taboos women face in society, participants were encouraged to express their displeasure and frustrations that have long held women back. With every plate they shattered against the wall, they demonstrated their dedication to questioning the status quo and promoting gender equality.

The ‘#ReuseKaroSaveKaro’ campaign highlights the issue of menstrual waste on World Environment Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of reusability and sustainability in menstrual care and promote eco-friendly alternatives like the Sirona Menstrual Cup. The campaign reached over 12 million, increasing awareness about sustainable menstrual hygiene options and driving up to a 16% increase in sales of our menstrual cups on marketplaces and our website.

These campaigns are just a few examples of how Sirona is working to educate, normalize, and empower through our efforts. Our ultimate goal is to create a more informed and supportive society where menstrual health is openly discussed and understood.

How has the past year been for Sirona Hygiene in terms of growth and milestones achieved?

For Sirona Hygiene, the last year has been remarkably groundbreaking and filled with noteworthy achievements and progress. We expanded the range of products we offer and introduced innovative solutions to meet the various needs of our clients. Over 20 lakh units of our menstrual cups were sold, one of our significant achievements and a sign of the increasing demand and acceptance of sustainable menstruation products.

As a result of our dedication to raising awareness, we have made significant progress in helping underprivileged girls by educating and donating menstrual cups and pads to empower them with safe and sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions. This initiative not only provided essential products but also included educational programs, reaching over 1 lakh menstruators and educating them about menstrual health and hygiene. We also helped over 11,000 underprivileged menstruators come out of period poverty by donating menstrual cups.

Sirona Hygiene had a 46% rise in revenue over the prior year, indicating a strong financial growth trajectory. These achievements highlight our dedication to improving menstrual health and hygiene, breaking societal taboos, and fostering a more informed and empathetic society. Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to driving further innovation and expanding our reach to ensure that every woman has access to the resources and knowledge needed to manage her menstrual health with dignity and confidence.

What key metrics do you use to measure the success of a digital marketing campaign, and how do you adjust strategies based on these metrics?

Our digital marketing efforts are evaluated for effectiveness based on several important measures. When the objective is brand awareness/ increasing the top of the funnel we look at metrics like reach, views, and metrics like engagement, comments, shares, and CTR to understand consumer response to the content. When the campaign objective is conversion or sales, we measure the CTR, return on investment (ROI), engagement, and conversion rates. We continuously modify our techniques to maximise performance based on these indicators. For instance, we might improve our website’s user experience or call-to-action if we observe high engagement, but low conversion rates. Our ads are kept current and efficient in reaching our target audience by regular analysis and adjustment.

How does Sirona Hygiene foster an inclusive and empowering environment for women within the company?

Our goal at Sirona Hygiene is to empower women and foster an inclusive workplace. We prioritize gender equality in our hiring practices and ensure that women have equal opportunities for advancement. We also invest in professional development programs to help women grow in their careers. Additionally, we maintain an open and supportive culture where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. By fostering a respectful and empowering environment, we enable our female employees to thrive and contribute to our mission of improving menstrual health and hygiene.

How do you stay relevant and continually reinvent yourself in a rapidly changing market?

It takes ongoing innovation and adaptation to stay relevant in a market that is changing rapidly. At Sirona, we keep ahead of the curve by continuously observing market developments and customer demands. We make significant R&D investments to produce innovative goods that satisfy our customers’ changing needs. To properly reach our target, our marketing approaches are constantly evolving and utilize the newest digital technologies and platforms. Furthermore, we cherish customer feedback and apply it to improve our goods and services. We make sure we stay at the forefront of the menstrual health and hygiene sector by remaining adaptable and flexible.

How has the advancement of technology, such as AI and big data, influenced digital marketing strategies?

Technology development, especially in the areas of AI and big data, has completely changed the way we approach digital marketing. AI allows us to analyze vast amounts of data quickly, providing insights into customer behaviour and preferences. Because of this, we can develop highly tailored marketing strategies that appeal to our target market. Big data allows us to track the impact of our campaigns in real time, which enables us to refine our strategies and make data-driven decisions for better outcomes. Additionally, by using social media and targeted advertising, technology helps us reach a larger audience.