48 recognised symptoms.
And only three of them are familiar or discussed – sort of.
One thing that struck me while researching the latest edition of The Marketing Kable was the serious lack of noise around menopause, especially considering October is Menopause Awareness month.
No prescribed ‘menopause experience’ exists; not everyone has hot flashes and mood swings. Menstruators experience an average of seven of 48 symptoms lasting between four and 12 years. In any given year, over a billion menstruating people are experiencing menopause – scared, confused, and desperate for education and help. Overlooked and made to feel invisible. The market potential for menopause-related products and services is increasingly hard to ignore.
Menopause has long been something to fear and deny – a social taboo with associated stigma rather than the natural transition it is. It made me wonder, not for the first time, why there aren’t more brands walking the menopause talk. From vitamins to tech to education, so many opportunities to serve this audience have long been ignored. The global menopause market alone is estimated to be worth $600 billion. So when 97% of menopausal people believe brands ought to work harder to cater to menopause, it gives you pause, right? Right.
One of the most promising initiatives we came across that caters to this unseen demographic is GenM, “a first-of-its-kind movement to make menopause a more positive experience for everyone, and introduce forward-thinking brands, organisations and employers to this new, commercially attractive market in a responsible, ethical way.” Their Invisibility Report, though specific to the UK, has insights relevant to any geography.
In today’s edition of The Marketing Kable, we feature 3 brands that are normalising conversations and experiences for menopausal people.