Taschica Pillay|Published
The "Period Paper" campaign, created by advertising agency Joe Public for Independent Media, won major honours at the 2026 Loerie Awards.
Joe Public, a leading independent advertising agency, took home a Grand Prix for Period Paper, created for Independent Media, in Print – Tactical Use of Print. The work also won Craft Gold in Print Crafts – Art Direction.
The Loeries 2026 awards were held at the Cape Town City Hall during Loeries Creative Week. The Loeries supports the brand communications industry across Africa and the Middle East.
But Period Paper did more than impress the judges. It forced readers to confront a reality that millions of girls face every month.
The ‘Period Paper’ campaign used hyper-realistic menstrual blood stains on major newspapers to expose period poverty.
On June 1 readers of 'The Star', 'The Mercury' and 'Cape Times' opened their newspapers to find something deeply uncomfortable: period blood stains splashed across the front page and seeping through the pages beneath, as though the newspaper itself had been used as a sanitary pad.
Created by Joe Public with The MENstruation Foundation, it highlighted how millions of girls rely on unsafe alternatives when they cannot afford sanitary products.
Joe Public's creative director, Alison Hingle, said it was an amazing collaboration between Joe Public, Independent Media and The MENstruation Foundation.
"This was an incredible project and experience and very rewarding, but still a lot of work needs to be done. The print campaign went viral and the response we had globally has been overwhelming. It appeared in 21 different countries. A number of international publications reported on the campaign.
"The campaign caught everyone's imagination around the world. It lifted the profile of the MENstruation Foundation. The aim is to get more free period products to more girls that need them," said Hingle.
For Hingle, the campaign demonstrated what can happen when creative thinking meets a cause that demands attention.
National Media Group's head of trade marketing and events, Lutfia Vayej, said the campaign formed part of the company’s ongoing Media for Social Change programme.
"We used our print and digital platforms to highlight and raise awareness of critical social issues, including racism, unemployment, youth development, crime, gender-based violence and, in this instance, period poverty.
"What made this campaign particularly significant and powerful was its use of the very products that so many girls and women are forced to rely on as substitutes for proper menstrual hygiene products. By using our newspapers to convey the message, the campaign brought the reality of period poverty into sharp focus in a way that was both confronting and thought-provoking," said Vayej.
She added that the campaign was aptly summed up in its powerful message: “A newspaper can absorb the blood, but not the shame.”
Chief Executive Officer of the National Media Group, Melanie Peters, congratulated Joe Public for winning a Loerie.
"The Period Poverty campaign, was a partnership with the MENstruation Foundation, and the newspapers 'The Star', 'The Mercury' and 'Cape Times'. Many readers left deeply uncomfortable as red stains resembling period blood were splashed across the front page and seeping through the pages beneath, as though the newspaper itself had been used as a sanitary pad.
"It even went viral online, with international media such as 'CNN' picking it up. But for some of the four million South African schoolgirls, that's exactly what it has been. The message was stark and unforgettable: a newspaper can absorb the blood, but not the shame. Purpose-driven journalism and media-led social activism can drive change by building awareness through strategic partnerships," said Peters.
Chief Executive Officer of the Loeries, Preetesh Sewraj, said the campaign stood out because it tackled a deeply stigmatised issue with an idea that was both creatively daring and socially meaningful.
The Grand Prix was selected by a panel of creative experts from around Africa. The key experts who led the discussion were Nkgabiseng Motau, who is the founder and key creative officer of Think Creative Africa in South Africa, and Maxwell Ngari, the chief creative officer of Dentsu Kenya.
"With this particular piece, it was about ensuring there was a social tension, which is understanding the way in which a paper is being used by young menstruating girls who do not have access to sanitary pads. This is a real problem and challenge, but also one of those that carries a lot of stigma. It doesn't get spoken about because the stigma is so real," said Sewraj.
Joe Public brought the creative idea; Independent Media dared to recognise how its newspapers were being used in this reality and to turn that uncomfortable truth into a national conversation, said Sewraj.
"This campaign was designed to remove the stigma associated with it and to be able to develop more responsible consumer habits to be able to support young women, ensuring that newspapers are not being used in lieu of sanitary pads.
"This is a taboo topic and Independent Media chose to not just have an advert but chose to create the edition of the newspaper in a manner in which it appeared to have been used for menstrual use. They took a commercially brave move with sound creativity that truly impacts," said Sewraj.