Tena’s new #Ageless campaign talks sex to challenge perceptions of ageing and incontinence
Research conducted by the brand found nearly half of young women think that bladder leakage will negatively affect their sex life, yet only 10 per cent of women over 50 say that it has.
The ‘#Ageless’ film is first UK advert to feature women over 50 discussing sex, asking “Our bodies change. But why should we?”
The #Ageless film is the latest development of TENA’s ‘I Will Be Me’ campaign which aims to create a healthier and more open conversation about the issue of incontinence and female self image.
Through the lens of sex and intimacy, the film will stimulate and provoke a conversation about the positive realities of ageing for women, challenging perceptions of incontinence and the impact it has on your life.
The 60 second advert will air on Monday 9th March at 9.00pm endorsed by an advertising premiere with Channel 4. The film is being launched with above the line activity driven by media agency Zenith, including partnerships with Channel 4 and The Guardian – a first for the brand. Throughout this partnership, incontinence is faced head-on and with a frank, honest, no-nonsense tone that Channel 4 and Guardian are renowned for.
The campaign is underpinned by research examining attitudes towards incontinence and intimacy in later life. The findings revealed that whilst nearly half (44 per cent) of women under 35 think that bladder leakage will negatively affect their sex lives, only 10 per cent of women over 50 say that it has.
Older women are still not fairly represented in the media, according to TENA’s research, and those that are represented are unrelatable. Nearly half (42 per cent) of women over 50 believe.
they are mis/under-represented in the media and they would like to see more representative depictions of themselves (51 per cent).
TENA Woman collaborated with Yorgos Lanthimos, director of multi award-winning film ‘The Favourite’, to bring the #Ageless script to life. Historically, advertising within the incontinence category has been product focused. In this campaign, real women and their stories are at the heart of the campaign.
The women in the film were cast because of their authenticity and openness about how it looks and feels to be 55+. The script was developed with the women, so that it’s made up of their own words, and reflective of real-life experiences. The set was also created to reflect their lives, featuring props from their own homes. Across the campaign, watercolour text and portraits by artist Stina Persson are featured, as another form of expressing changing bodies in an empowering and intimate way.
Zenith worked in partnership with Channel 4 and The Guardian to help TENA challenge the stigma attached to female incontinence. The Guardian partnership brings together a number of influential voices to break down the taboo with a relatable, honest weekly diary entry that will resonate with women of all ages. After the launch of #Ageless on Monday 9th March, Channel 4 will run cinematic, documentary-style ads across VOD and TV. This heart-felt and authentic content will include a few familiar faces and will bring the issue of incontinence to the front of people’s minds. Long and short-form content will also run on social, directing people to the 60 second #Ageless ad.
“At TENA we are on a mission to challenge the current perception that incontinence is something to be embarrassed of. The research findings clearly demonstrate that there is a huge disparity between younger and older women when it comes to understanding the realities of incontinence and its impact on sex and intimacy in later life.
“We created this film to celebrate older women and tackle the taboo around ageing and intimacy, collaborating with Yorgos to ensure the women featured felt empowered and that their perspectives and stories were accurately told.” Lisa Myers, marketing manager, TENA
“Breaking taboos runs deep within The Guardian and Channel 4’s DNA. There were no better partners for TENA when it came to this bold and brave campaign. Combining broadcast and press was essential to support this campaign, which aims to tear down the societal stigma surrounding incontinence, get people talking and empower all women.” Bruce McGowan, Head of Content Partnerships, Zenith
“The Essity/AMV BBDO partnership has always been about breaking taboos and using creativity to inspire living well. With the new #ageless campaign for TENA we are challenging society’s damaging perceptions around incontinence for women, and standing up for and celebrating all that women are” Sarah Douglas, CEO, AMV BBDO
About the research:
TENA researched the disparities between the perception of ageing, intimacy and incontinence from a young female audience (18-34 years old) and the real stories of women with incontinence over the age of 50. The fieldwork and research was carried out by Dynata.
