P&G: The Next Bono?

Procter & Gamble has launched a new ad campaign for their Always and Tampax brands. Following in the footsteps of (Product) RED, P&G is latching onto a social cause in Africa.

According to a P&G press release and their program microsite, 1 in 10 school-age African girls do not attend school during menstruation or drop out at puberty because of the lack of clean and private sanitation facilities in schools or because they can't afford to buy sanitary pads or tampons. Those girls who miss school because of their menstrual cycle, lose an average of more than a full month of classes in a school year. Then there are the girls who refuse to lose time from their studies and instead resort to utilizing other methods like old pieces of cloth, used blankets or tissue paper. The sad news is that these methods are unsanitary for the girls, their classmates and teachers.

So, P&G has decided to step up to the plate. The company has vowed to donate $1.4 million through 2008 to the United Nations Association HERO Campaign - at least with the help of our purchases. Still not sure how about the financial specifics of this program as I'm unable to find specifics about the deal. Wonder if P&G will donate X amount for each purchase up to $1.4 million or if a specific sales goal needs to be met overall. That information would be beneficial for a consumer.

As part of their Protecting Futures program, P&G is also funding a health, hygiene and puberty education program that will be taught by a traveling health educator and are funding a health care provider who will provide health care to the girls.

It's an interesting strategy. Especially in a low involvement category. I personally feel no attachment to any specific brand of sanitary products. I stick primarily with the P&G brands because of the smooth blue coloring of the packaging and it's a nostalgic brand that I have been consistently using since my teen years. Both brands actually remind me of the Cover Girl brand...they are teenish, all-American, convenient. But, this program, actually gives me a bigger reason to continue purchasing Always and Tampax. It's a little way to help the world. Which as a Millennial is right up my alley. That's what my generation is all about...a little, effortless something that allows me to give back is something that is worth participating in. The Entitlement Generation wants to be in the limelight and tell others that they are doing good, but they also don't want it to be too time-consuming or laborious.

I have a feeling this program will get a lot of buzz (I hear Oprah or Tyra calling) and will be a financial success (as it's just giving us women - the non-price sensitive consumers out there - a reason why to choose one brand over another...especially in a category that in the past didn't give us any reasons why to pick them besides price).

"Who knew a little thing like purchasing a pad or tampon could make such a huge difference?"