‘Lady Business is Your Business’
MHC marketing and visual communications students join instructor’s campaign to end ‘period poverty’ for women in Medicine Hat
Marketing and visual communications students at Medicine Hat College have launched their “Lady Business is Your Business” campaign to raise awareness of period poverty and collect donations for the local food bank.
“Period poverty is when women have to choose between food and appropriate feminine hygiene products,” explained Tara Williams, a MHC business instructor who spearheaded the annual initiative three years ago.
“It’s very much a reality in our community. We have 35 families coming to the food bank a day and, of those, it’s likely that most of those families need products to go along with their food.”
This year’s campaign is specifically focused on getting men to participate in the initiative by purchasing feminine hygiene products — tampons, pads and cups — for the women in their community.
The issue of period poverty was brought to Williams’ attention in the fall of 2016, after she went to the food bank, which she works with frequently, and repeatedly asked them what they need most.
“I went there four times and they had said feminine hygiene products (each time),” she said. “I came into my marketing class and said, ‘We’re doing an online marketing campaign. I don’t know how we’re doing it, but let’s figure it out.’”
This year is the first she’s brought her visual communications students into the fold.
The project isn’t for grades, she added.
“Often we have this stereotypical perspective that marketing is about selling something and often becomes a question of ethics. Marketing doesn’t have to be a question of ethics,” said Williams.
“Marketing can absolutely have a foundation of social entrepreneurship and social impact. It’s really important for are students, as well, to understand what is happening in the community.”
Those who want to donate feminine hygiene products can do so at the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank, most grocery stores or food drives bins found throughout the city.
The campaign runs until Nov. 15, but Williams encourages Hatters to donate to the food bank all year round.