Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn 50 years of established constitutional protection for abortion, the need to address reproductive health has never been more important.

We look back at five femtech start-ups that took over billboards in 2022.

Caria

Co-founders, Arfa Rehman and Scott Gorman, saw the need for guidance and support during menopause, and together they launched Caria, a personalised guide to help women understand menopausal changes and manage their symptoms.

Aimed at debunking the myths of menopause and helping women connect with each other, the start-up made history by putting menopause on a giant billboard in the middle of New York’s Times Square on July 4.

“For an issue that still lacks open conversation but affects more than one billion women in the world — the billboard signifies a big step forward for women’s health,” the founder said at the time.

With over 60 per cent of American women feeling uninformed about menopause, we couldn’t agree more.

Stix

In the light of Roe v Wade, the US start-up, Stix, launched its own emergency contraception pill alongside a fund to make the pills free to women in need.

The founders wanted to position themselves as a resource for women navigating the infringement on their rights, creating a convenient and judgment-free way to access morning-after pills, pregnancy tests and supplements.

Its billboard ads, strategically placed close to crisis pregnancy centres in Ohio, Arkansas, Utah, Missouri and Kentucky, aimed to advertise Restart and highlight the absurdity of restricting abortion.

Hertility

In March, the women’s health company, Hertility, took over 350 billboards across London to end the silence that surrounds women’s health and demystify fertility.

Dr Helen O’Neill, Hertility co-founder and CEO, said the so-called “Reproductive Revolution” was meant to equip people with the right knowledge about their reproductive health and help them make informed decisions at the right time.

Menopause Over Martinis

In 2020, to help break the taboo and stigma around menopause, Sarah Connor launched Menopause Over Martinis. Started as a potluck dinner with a difference, the project has since grown into a website, a public Facebook group and an invitation for friends, family and colleagues to talk and learn about perimenopause and menopause at home, work and in the community.

Connor’s taboo-breaking outdoor ads hit the streets of Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand, around World Menopause Day.

“I’m 50 and I’ve never seen an ad featuring the word menopause in an outdoor space,” the founder told Campaign Brief in October.

“Locky Docks were a fantastic way to get this once-taboo word in front of people.”

Peanut

Inspired by real-life struggles, Peanut’s UK campaign was designed to shine a light on women’s day-to-day problems and reduce feelings of pain and isolation on Mother’s Day.

With nearly three out of five women revealing that they find the day emotionally triggering, the online platform, which provides a safe space for women to connect and seek support, wanted to validate these experiences and show women they are not alone.