C O D E R E D
Team Members:
Eve DeAngelis, Iman Allie, Patsy Saber
TL;DR
People who get their periods need a quality, intermediary solution for when they inevitably get an unexpected visit from Aunt Flo. We’re talkin’ something small, conveniently located, and non-toxic; not a sub-par dispenser tampon, your friends maxi-pad, or a too-large box from the back corner of a pharmacy (why are the tampons always at the back?!) Code Red is a perfectly packaged emergency sanitary pack— think two tampons and a panty liner— that’s made of healthy materials and available in the check out line next to your Big Red gum.
Approach
Through the design process, our goal was to conceptualize a sustainable business concept that reflected our vision for the future. We developed hypotheses, conducted consumer research and transformed insights into a minimum viable proposition.
As three young women, imagining a vision for the future prompted us to consider a universal pain point for women everywhere: menstruation. We chose to explore a sustainable business concept that would improve women's menstrual experiences.
MVP
Code Red is an emergency menstrual kit for when your period sneaks up on you.
Menstrual products are an integral part of the female experience and we want to break the stigma around menstruation by delivering a healthy, non-toxic product that takes the shame out of periods. The Code Red value is not just in what it is, but where it is.
At first, Code Red will launch in clothing, beauty & skincare spaces in the commonly found wellness displays. Customers will be able to purchase it as a preventative measure to be kept in their bags, desk drawers, and partner’s apartment for future sticky situations.
Once we have established our brand and developed a loyal customer base, we plan to expand to other retail spaces such as pharmacies and corner stores with our emergency kit and a bulk offering. Our ultimate goal is to integrate period solutions into daily life, because women shouldn’t have to hunt for tampons in the back of a pharmacy or put toxin-loaded products into their bodies in a moment of desparation.
Women get their periods everywhere, and that’s where we’ll be.
PROCESS
Through surveys, one-on-one interviews and research into existing sanitary products we tried to understand which part of menstruation frustrates women the most, and how current products fail to solve this issue
INSIGHTS FROM CONSUMERS
What was consistently raised as an exasperating part of monthly cycles was getting your period unexpectedly and not having the right supplies to immediately address the situation.
Our research also tested the following hypotheses:
Women get their periods unexpectedly. VALIDATED
Women are often caught off guard without the proper “supplies”. VALIDATED
Women are frustrated by the subsequent hunt for supplies and what’s available to them on the market: there are only large boxes available when oftentimes women already have their preferred products at home. VALIDATED
Women would benefit from a smaller emergency pack of sanitary products that’s widely available and easily accessed. VALIDATED
The primary value of our product from launch is that it is an emergency solution that can be found anywhere. INVALIDATED
Our product will launch in pharmacies, delis, bodegas and convenience stores. INVALIDATED
INSIGHTS FROM VENDORS
Little interest from delis, convenience stores
More interest from clothing, beauty and skincare retailers
Beauty and wellness displays are highly curated and often sustainable / natural
Consider entry through clothing stores and later branch out to pharmacies etc
“Feminism sells”: Current social conditions lend themselves well to launching a product that challenges the stigma around menstruation and promoting feminine hygiene