• by Les Luchter , April 21, 2025

Could dry urine extracted from used Poise pads become “Drops of Hope” to detect urinary tract infections, diabetes and other conditions in perimenopausal and menopausal women?

Poise says it has recently begun working with scientists to find out, while placing a special emphasis on helping rural women in health deserts, who often have to travel 100 miles or more to access health care. Presumably, women would be able to send their Poise pads or extracted urine to a doctor for insight into health conditions.

The Kimberly-Clark bladder leak protection brand wouldn’t reveal what scientists it’s working with, telling Marketing Daily only that they’re “both internal and external teams of scientists with expertise in this area.”

Why the emphasis on “health deserts”?

Poise notes that only about 6% of the nation’s obstetricians and gynecologists practice in rural areas,which the brand says make up 80% of the country’s counties. 

Continuing its recent mission to destigmatize discussion of bladder leaks, such as an ongoing ad campaign starring actress Katherine Heigl, Poise’s Drops of Hopes website declares that “in health deserts, where care is far away, the silence can be even louder.”

“Each year, approximately 2 million women in the U.S. enter perimenopause,and approximately 1.3 million women become menopausal,” the site says, “but with little to no education on what that actually means, many don’t understand their symptoms—let alone how to treat them. And by 2030, the anticipated number of OB/GYNs is expected to meet only half of rural areas’ demands.”

“Now, my bladder leakage could be a positive thing!,” exclaims one rural woman in Drops of Hope’s flagship creative, “Welcome to America’s Health Deserts,” a 2-minute  film from Sara Nesson, whose 2010 HBO short, “Poster Girl,” received both Oscar and Emmy nominations.

Poise says it is supporting the film with owned and paid social efforts and an influencer campaign. Agency of record for the advertising is FCB , while details on the influencers is unavailable.