Kotex #ProgressFeelsLike (2024) 2:00

I have a few things to say about this advert, but I think you should watch it first, and let's see if we have the same reaction.

Did you notice anything different in this ad?
No, I am not talking about actually showing blood, and the accidents the product is supposed to prevent, we've seen blood in period protection ads before. What is different about this ad, is that every scene, despite how subtle, is instantly recognisable. Every single one.

From glancing and judging your normal face in a bathroom mirror, to the reaction on public transport.

Each scene was like a checklist of utterly mundaine but also very uncomfortable moments that every woman in the world can recognize. Instantly.

And that made me notice another thing about this ad, there are only women in it showing their faces to the camera.

What a directorial feat, to have men in it, but make them invisible. That also made me feel relief, along with all the women seen moving forward to positive instead of uncomfortable moments in the last half of the film. Also it made me want to gather some girlfriends and go surfing. 

Kotex has found in a study that nearly 60% of women believe the speed of women’s progress is either stagnant or moving slowly. Half of the women polled indicated that the world is a more uncomfortable place for them than ever before.
I understand that, in many ways it is.

In response, Kotex has launched its #ProgressFeelsLike campaign to address the serious threat of women's voices being silenced, and to encourage women all over the world to speak up and share their perspectives on what progress means to them in their daily lives and in the world around them.

This film is only an opening salvo in a much larger campaign called “She Can Initiative” which aims to generate awareness around the study and drive systemic change. The film was produced by an all- female Kotex team in partnership with Rakish, and led by renowned director, Jaci Judelson.

Ladies, you knocked this one out of the park. I see awards in your futures.

Kotex #ProgressFeelsLIke

Credit Sheet

Kimberly-Clark/Kotex:

Juanita Pelaez, Global VP & Sector Leader Adult and Feminine Care 

Katie Moran, VP EMEA Personal Care & Digital Marketing 

Sarah Paulsen, Sr. Director, Global Content, Creative and Design, AFC Brands 

Katie Nikolaus, Director, Global Content, Creative and Design, AFC Brands 

Alexis Rice, Head of Consumer Engagement Personal Care EMEA

Creative:

Agency: Capital A (LinkedIn)

Chief Creative Officer: AJ Hassan

VP, Creative Director, Art: Joy Li De Meulemeester

Executive Producer: Lindsey Brusnighan

Production:

Production Company: Rakish

Director: Jaci Judelson

Managing Director / Executive Producer: Preston Garrett

Executive Producer: Gabe Reiter

Head of Production: Heather Weinstock

Head of Sales / Creative Producer: Chiara Useche

Line Producer: John Malina

Creative Director: Spencer Hord

Creative Coordinator: Annie Colao

International Production Service: Cake Film Amsterdam
 

Editorial: Nomad NYC

Editor: Amanda Moreau

Assistant Editor: Matthew Cornelius

Executive Producer: Julia Williams

Producer: Nicole Murray

Flame: Steve Morris

GFX: Tasayu Tasnaphun

Color: King of Birds 

Colorist: Aubrey Woodiwiss

Mix: Sonic Union

Longform Mix Engineer: Rob DiFondi

Foreign Language Mix Engineers: Rob McIver & Rob Ballingall

Producer: Pat Sullivan

Original Music by Halo Music & Sound

Founder/CD: Peter Gannon

Music Supervisor, Partner: Molly Salas

Composer: Matt McGinley

PR:

Agency: The Scratch Collective

Account Lead: Brooke Ward
Strategy Lead: Amy Cheronis
Media Relations Lead: Abby Hagstrom