People were scared to talk about menopause. We wanted to make it a hot topic.

Most brands speaking to women about well-being default to stories centered in pregnancy, motherhood and beauty. Yet menopause and perimenopause—affecting over 60 Million women in the United States—are shrouded in silence. Our research revealed the unspoken barriers women face as they enter this life stage: ageist stigmas and a shocking lack of education: 50% of women endure six months of debilitating symptoms before seeking help, and 94% received no education about menopause in school. With solutions ready and a predominantly female workforce, Walgreens had both the credibility and responsibility to lead.

Our challenge wasn’t just to connect with women about menopause—it was to break a cultural taboo. Without that level of impact, stigma and deafening silence would persist.

Our strategy: elevate menopause support from wellness advice to allyship. We took the cultural stigma head on to promote conversation among women, and we positioned Walgreens as the empathetic expert that helped them feel heard. This strategy inspired Menopause is Hot—a bold campaign that reframed menopause as strength, not shame. Real women told their stories, unapologetically. And Walgreens was there along the way, bringing understanding, knowledge and meaningful product solutions to help.

Pre/post testing validated our allyship approach. Those exposed to the campaign showed statistically significant shifts across all brand measures: “Understands women’s health needs” increased by +28%, and “Has expertise in women’s well-being” increased by +30%. This translated into a +19% increase in women choosing Walgreens as their first choice for well-being. One viewer captured the essence: “Powerful and unapologetic. It challenges outdated views by giving real women the mic.”

This case teaches us the power of embracing uncomfortable truths and taboos as opportunities. Resolute strategy and creative can turn silence into dialogue, and dialogue into brand affinity and leadership.