An Elvie billboard is peeing on people to tackle incontinence taboos
Tech brand Elvie, alongside creative agency partner Don’t Cry Wolf, is tackling the taboo of incontinence with a big, wet out-of-home (OOH) activation that aims to create an open dialogue about the topic, while also wiping the floor with social media companies that feel the issue should be censored online.
The bespoke build for the #LeaksHappen campaign stands at a lofty 10ft tall and was constructed by Kinetic. Starring in the ad is real-life incontinent woman Megan Burns, a 28-year-old mum of two from Cornwall, with Muay Thai athlete Nesrine Dally also collaborating on the project.
“Incontinence is common in women at all ages and stages of life. By censoring content that shows women experiencing urinary leaks, social media platforms are reinforcing taboos around the issue,” said Aoife Nally, chief marketing officer at Elvie.
“Elvie’s giant ‘peeing’ billboard is bringing the issue out of the shadows and into the spotlight. We hope it will encourage women to start speaking out about the issue and seek the help they need to solve the problem. Elvie’s goal is to empower and enable women to achieve everything their bodies are capable of.”
#LeaksHappen launches within weeks of TikTok banning a video published on Elvie’s account that showed @maddawglifts leaking urine while weightlifting. The social media giant classed the video as ‘graphic’ content.
“Social media networks might disagree, but the reality is that incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of,” added Sara Collinge, managing director at Don’t Cry Wolf.
“Our aim with Leaks Happen is to empower more women to open up and talk about their experiences. And what better way to do that than with a loud and proud leak on a central London billboard?”
Elvie reports that one in three women globally suffer from incontinence, but in a recent survey, it found that 84% of women in the UK experience it.
“No one’s talking about incontinence and, historically, the press hasn’t covered the issue much either,” noted Kat Park, head of PR at Don’t Cry Wolf.
“So Leaks Happen is designed to cut through the silence and kick off conversations about the issue.”
Further amplification of the campaign will come from social media channels and PR.
