- Recent research by Always reveals that 64% of girls and
women in the UK also admit that period anxiety puts them off their
game2.
- As a continuation of Always’ It’s a New Period campaign,
Always releases cutting-edge A.I. video which aims to rewrite the
current narrative around periods within sports and empower women to
redefine their relationship with their bodies.
- To support girls and women in reducing the physical and
emotional impact on sports that periods can bring, Always have
created the Master your Menstrual Cycle Programme – a set of
resources designed specifically to educate girls and women on their
menstrual cycle and feel more comfortable talking openly about
periods.
Hélène de Pourtalès made history by becoming the first female
gold medallist in the Olympic Games Paris 19003 and 124 years later
Always, the Official Period Product of the Olympic and Paralympic
Games Paris 2024, is bringing her back using A.I. technology to
make history once again. Hélène shattered every boundary, igniting
a flame that empowered women to rewrite the rules, both in sports
and life, and today, in partnership with Always, she’s back to
break down taboos and empower the next generation of female
athletes. Always worked in collaboration with Hélène’s family to
understand Hélène’s background and personality as well as gather
old photographs which were used to recreate her in the film.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240623417439/en/
Hélène de Pourtalès made history by
becoming the first female gold medallist in the Olympic Games Paris
1900 and 124 years later Always is bringing her back using A.I.
technology to make history once again. (Photo: Business Wire)
Over the last century, so much has changed for women in sports;
however, when it comes to periods, there's still a lot of work to
do to support female athletes. Research by Always reveals the
challenges still faced by girls and women with 64% of British
females admitting that they experience period anxiety which puts
them off their game and, therefore, affects their ability to move
with confidence.
In response to the research whereby, 79% of girls and women
believe that more conversation on periods is needed to help break
down these barriers for future generations of athletes, Always, as
part of “It’s a New Period” campaign, launched the Master your
Menstrual Cycle Programme – a set of resources designed
specifically to educate girls and women on their menstrual cycle.
By understanding their menstrual cycle as well as the physical and
emotional changes that accompany it and how to confidently keep
track of their cycle, young girls and women can feel empowered to
work with their bodies and feel more comfortable talking openly
about periods.
The new film featuring Hélène de Pourtalès opens with a sailboat
calmly moving in the distance, with the message “In 1900, Hélène de
Pourtalès became the first female Olympian to win a gold medal. 124
years later, Always brought her back to see history made again.” As
the boat moves closer, the A.I. recreation of Hélène appears on
screen and explains how she was one of the first athletes to
compete in her sport at the highest level, but certainly not the
last to see female athletes play with worry. The film continues as
Always announces it wants to lift the veil on period anxiety and
accept that periods are a part of the game. It’s a new period, a
new era, where a fresh set of rules and an increased level of
commitment are being made to remove the stigma around periods.
Always Ambassador and British Olympian, Jazmin Sawyers, welcomes
Hélène’s powerful message: “Hélène blazed a trail for me and so
many other sportswomen around the world when she became the first
female to win an Olympic gold medal, empowering us to believe that
anything is possible. Seeing her brought to life once more to
empower the next wave of young athletes is incredible! As an
athlete, I can relate to and understand the challenges that come
with menstruation; however, I have learned so much about my body
over the past few years that has helped me better understand
periods and therefore test my limits. I'm passionate about breaking
down barriers for the next generation and, together, we can create
a world where periods are not seen as obstacles, but as a natural
part of women's lives."
Farah Azmy, Brand Director at Always UK, says “We’re so proud to
be using a landmark sporting occasion to continue normalising
periods. Period anxiety is something many girls and women will
experience and it's no different for female athletes. Through this
film, and our "It's a New Period" campaign, we hope to inspire and
empower younger generations to really understand their menstrual
cycle so that they can feel more confident navigating their periods
both on and off the sporting stage.
Hélène’s family says, "We now take women's participation in
sports for granted but it was controversial in 1900 and we are
proud of Hélène’s gold medal in the Olympic Games Paris 1900 with
her husband Hermann de Pourtalès. We see her presence in this
landmark sporting occasion as a source of inspiration for women to
live their passion and a contribution to more open conversation in
sport to build confidence in younger generations."
For over 35 years, Always has been empowering millions of girls
and women globally through puberty and confidence education,
providing products to those in need and tackling societal barriers
to their personal growth through programmes like Always #LikeAGirl
and #KeepHerPlaying. As the Official Period Product of the Olympic
Games Paris 2024 Always is welcoming a new period… one that
welcomes open conversations about periods, educates the support
network around young girls and ensures they have access to the
period products they need, at the Olympic Village and beyond.
It's a new period. Always.
View the full video here
Please visit here to view and download the Master your
Menstrual Cycle Programme
For more information about Always, please visit
www.always.com
Contact:
For further information, interviews or campaign content please
contact the Always PR team at AlwaysUK@pgone.co.uk
About Always
Always®, the world's leader in menstrual protection, offers a
wide range of pads and liners designed to fit different body types,
period flows and preferences. For over 35 years, Always has been
empowering millions of young people globally through puberty and
confidence education, providing products to those in need and
tackling societal barriers to their confidence through programmes
like Always #LikeAGirl and #KeepHerPlaying. Together, Always
believes we can create a world where neither periods nor gender get
in the way of young people reaching their full potential. Please
visit www.always.co.uk for more information.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the
strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands,
including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bold®, Braun®, Daz®, Fairy®,
Febreze®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Herbal Essences®,
Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Tampax®, Venus® and
Vicks®. Although headquartered in the US, P&G was founded by an
Englishman and an Irishman in 1837, our heritage lives on through
the work of around 2500 people across 10 sites, including R&D
Centres, Manufacturing Plants and Business sites, across the UK
& Ireland. To learn more about P&G UK and Ireland, our
brands, and our Citizenship programmes, please visit our website,
download our Northern Europe Citizenship Report, or follow us on
our social channels (Twitter @PGUK and Instagram
@pgukandireland)
Research
The research was commissioned by PG One and conducted by market
research company Reputation Leaders, in accordance with the Market
Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected in October
2023. The online survey consisted of a total of 2,008 female
athletes in the United Kingdom, 18 to 49 years old, who practice
and play any sport regularly, and compete at least in amateur
competitions.
1 Always Female Athletes Research Oct 2023
UK; Sample 2,008 Female Athletes
2 Always Female Athletes Research Oct 2023
UK; Sample 2,008 Female Athletes
3 As a part of a crew of three, including
her husband Herman de Pourtalès
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240623417439/en/
AlwaysUK@pgone.co.uk