Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
On the 14 October 2024 Improper Agency and Clear Channel UK launched ‘Educate Yourself’, a UK nationwide campaign raising awareness of menopause and its diverse signs and symptoms.
Menopause is a serious and life changing transition that is estimated to effect 30% of women in the UK at any one time. Research found 93% of women felt they would benefit if friends and family were more informed about menopause, three in four people believing that menopause remains a taboo subject (Gen M). The campaign aims to destigmatise menopause and increase knowledge, as with knowledge comes change.
Nicky Thompson, Creative Director, Improper told us “Menopause is often trivialised and brushed aside in society, or simply seen as a joke. Frequently dismissed and reduced to ‘hot flushes’ or ‘the change’, it goes hand in hand with the invisibility of older women in our society… but that’s another campaign! The 93% of women asking for more conversation and education in this highly personal and emotional area was the catalyst of the campaign concept; educate, educate, educate! Through a playful approach, the campaign asks everyone to “Educate Yourself” as destigmatisation is long overdue. We all need to know more, because with knowledge comes change. As someone who is going through this journey themselves, spending time and exchanging diverse stories and experiences I hope this campaign will shift perspectives on something that affects half of the UK’s population”.
Inclusivity is central to the campaign and Educate Yourself features a range of individuals who have diverse experiences of menopause, including Sheree Hargreaves, who experienced early onset menopause aged 15, Emma Livingstone, founder of Up – The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement, Zeph Churchill, former nurse turned comedian with a menopause-focused comedy show, and Ola Fagbohun, a mid to older life women’s health practitioner, as well as several Clear Channel employees.
The campaign explores 10 scenarios, each highlighting a different symptom of menopause through lighthearted and sometimes absurd scenarios. Lesser-known signs including cold flushes, nail changes, digestive issues, heart palpitations and burning mouth syndrome, are shown in the campaign.
Educate Yourself will be shown on Clear Channel’s out of home digital screens nationwide from 14 October in anticipation of World Menopause Day on 18 October.
The campaign has been developed in partnership with The Menopause Charity (charity registration number: 1191332) Black Women in Menopause and Menopause Café (charity registration number: SC048435), to drive awareness of where people can find information and support for menopause.
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