• by Les Luchter , January 9, 2024

Always Discreet is being anything but discreet in discussing the link between bladder leaks and perimenopause.

The 10-year-old Procter & Gamble bladder leak pad has teamed with 53-year-old actress Taraji P. Henson on “I Wish I Knew,” a 2-minute-plus YouTube video that finds the actress and a group of other women in candid conversation about “their perimenopausal experience.”  

Cutdowns of the video are also being shared on the social media channels of both Always Discreet and Henson.

They’re part of an overall social media strategy developed by Publicis Groupe’s MSL that will “leverage compelling content formats across a variety of channels to reach and resonate with women experiencing perimenopausal symptoms,” an MSL spokesperson tells Marketing Daily.

Henson did not experience bladder leaks during her own perimenopause, but said in a statement that “I didn’t know what was happening to me…I was experiencing a lot of other symptoms.”

“While perimenopause is a common experience for women, many are unaware of this stage -- which can last for years before menopause -- and the connected symptoms,” the spokesperson says. “In order to normalize the perimenopause journey that many women face, MSL knew that the conversation needed to involve a relatable talent partner and women who have all experienced perimenopausal symptoms such as bladder leaks firsthand.””

“For many women, major life stages such as puberty, first periods, and motherhood are surrounded with conversation. Yet when it comes to perimenopause, this knowledge exchange is limited, says Balaka Niyazee, P&G’s senior vice president of feminine care, North America, in a statement.

Niyazee shares research from the Centers for Disease Control which found that half of women will experience bladder leaks during perimenopause,

The brand also cites research from The North American Menopause Society showing that 83% of women “know almost nothing about the transitional life stage that occurs before menopause.”

MSL is lead creative agency for “I Wish I Knew” and developed an overall social media strategy, while Publicis’ in-house production studio PXP handed pre- and post-production. MSL partnered with WPP’s Grey on overall campaign strategy and creative approach.