People with Periods React
In early 2022, we noticed a clear trend: posts explicitly showcasing gender inclusivity (like trans and non-binary people with periods) consistently drove higher engagement. Around the same time, Pixar’s Turning Red sparked heated debate about menstruation in media, yet much of the backlash came from voices outside the lived experience.
These two moments converged to shape Diva’s “People With Periods React” campaign, reclaiming the narrative by centering real stories from those most impacted.
Creative Strategy + Execution
We monitored online conversations, noting polarized media reactions versus enthusiastic responses from period-positive communities. Our insight: centering authentic voices would both disrupt stigma and align with DIVA’s advocacy.
Our audiences should see themselves represented in a conversation they were otherwise excluded from.
From this insight, “People with Periods React” was born: a social series capturing authentic reactions and storytelling from people who do, in fact, have periods.
→ Role: Producer, Creative Lead
→ Timeframe: 2022
→ Team: Director of Marketing, Social Coordinator
→ Impact: TikTok series with top-performing engagement
I oversaw production end-to-end: scripting loose prompts, coordinating shoots and editing to maintain authenticity. I optimized videos for vertical short-form, ensuring captions, pacing, and framing matched Instagram and TikTok best practices.
Iteration 1: Launch the series with the DIVA team reacting to Turning Red’s negative reviews, highlighting the absurdity of period outsiders’ critiques.
Iteration 2: Broaden the series to cover cultural myths, historical stigmas, and factual truths about menstruation.
Iteration 3: Take the series into public space — filming people with periods in downtown Toronto reacting to the launch of the Diva Disc, capturing authentic, spontaneous responses.
Impact
The series quickly became DIVA’s most successful TikTok initiative, driving record-breaking engagement month after month. People with Periods React not only expanded the brand’s reach but also fostered a vibrant comment-driven dialogue where audiences felt seen, heard, and validated. It positioned DIVA as a bold, feminist voice countering stigma in real time.
