Auckland Uni. To Offer Free Period Pads, With Ads

Ads on Pads is launching free period products at the University of Auckland through a partnership that places ads on period product packaging.

The partnership will see over 3000 biodegradable pads distributed weekly in high-traffic bathrooms, generating more than 200,000 ad impressions each month.

Ads on Pads Founder Aditi Gorasia said the mission is simple: to make sure no one ever feels anxious about accessing a period product again.

“We’re flipping the model on its head – by turning packaging into a powerful ad space, we can offer completely free pads and help charities like Breast Cancer Foundation

NZ raise awareness of the issues they care about,” said Gorasia.

“Periods aren't a bloody luxury, but traditionally they sure cost as much. Thanks to our model, we can give them away for free.”

“It’s about empowering people with periods and showing that brands can do good while making an impact.”

The first ad to appear on the pads packaging is for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, encouraging women to get into the habit to check their breasts.

“The best time to check your breasts is one week after your period finishes, so this felt like a natural collaboration,” Gorasia said.

“We’re honoured to be partnering with Ads on Pads because it’s a fantastic opportunity to get life-saving breast awareness messages out to more Kiwis,” Ah-Leen Rayner, chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, said.

“We share common ground with this initiative by bringing formerly taboo topics – periods and breast health – to the forefront. The more we talk about them both, the better off we’ll all be.

“Thinking about your breasts after your period is a great reminder to become familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts so you can spot any changes.”

Sonja Epskamp, Health Promotion Adviser at the University of Auckland, said the university is excited to support this initiative, which aligns with their commitment to student wellbeing.

"As our students face challenges with basic living costs, for many this can include reduced access to menstrual products which can impact their dignity. This challenge is often referred to as 'period poverty' and is an area of focus for the University of Auckland's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team.”

“Recognising that period poverty can cause students to miss classes and experience stress, we have been offering reusable menstrual products at various University locations for nearly three years.”

“As this initiative developed, feedback from students highlighted the need for disposable products in more discreet locations, such as bathrooms. Our collaboration with Ads on Pads enables us to meet this need more sustainably, reaching more students in need."

Gorasia founded Ads on Pads after years of hearing first hand stories of women struggling to access period products while working as the Women's Rights Officer at Auckland University.

Witnessing the difficult choices people with periods had to make, such as choosing between groceries and pads, sparked a lifelong commitment to addressing period equity and inspired her to find an innovative solution that empowers both individuals and brands.

According to Kidscan, 52% of women in NZ have struggled to afford a period product at some point in their life and 1 in 4 have skipped work or school because they couldn’t afford products.

The average menstruator spends $15 a month on their period - that’s almost $7,000 over a lifetime (450 periods on average). This doesn’t include painkillers, replacements for spoilt underwear or skipped work days due to periods.

Each Ads on Pads product given away contributes five cents to The Period Place charity, with an additional five cents donated when users tag Ads on Pads in social media posts.

“We’re not just giving away products; we’re creating a movement,” Gorasia said.

“By simply sharing a photo, people are helping us take the taboo away from periods in a very real way.”

The response from advertisers has been overwhelmingly positive, with all ad slots sold out for the rest of the year.

Ads on Pads is now looking to expand to other high-traffic venues such as shopping malls and airports to reach even more people with free period products.

“We’re not stopping here,” Gorasia said.

“We’re starting in Aotearoa, but our vision is global. Australia and the US are next on the list. We’re proving that it’s possible to be sustainable, free, and impactful all at once.”

The company also plans to grow its product range to include reusable period products, continuing to push for more accessible period care worldwide.

About Ads on Pads:

Founded in 2024 by Aditi Gorasia, Ads on Pads is a New Zealand-based social enterprise that provides free, sustainable period products by placing advertisements on packaging. Committed to addressing period poverty and promoting period equity, Ads on Pads partners with brands that care about making a difference. Every product given away supports local period equity charity The Period Place.

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