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Flipkart Stories

1 Jul 202403:25

Summary

TLDRThis video highlights the journey of a couple who founded FeFe in August 2020 to address the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding menstruation and menstrual cups. The founders share their motivation, sparked by witnessing the distressing conditions faced by waste workers during the 2020 lockdown. They emphasize the importance of open conversations about periods and the safe use of menstrual cups. With strong partnerships and a focus on customer education, they aim to make period talk the new normal and reach 5 million customers in the next three years.

Takeaways

🩸 Women do not talk openly about periods due to strong stigma, regardless of location.
🚮 During the 2020 lockdown, workers had to handle unsanitary waste, highlighting the need for better menstrual hygiene practices.
💡 The real issue is not the menstrual products themselves, but the lack of awareness and the stigma surrounding them.
🗣️ The initiative aims to make open discussions about menstruation and related topics, like menstrual cups, the new normal.
❓ Common misconceptions about menstrual cups include concerns about insertion, urination, and virginity.
🛑 The goal is not just to sell menstrual cups, but to bridge the gap in awareness and education about menstruation.
❤️ The brand, FeFe, was launched in August 2020, focusing on menstrual health and awareness instead of traditional wedding planning.
📈 Despite initial doubts, the brand has grown significantly, reaching close to 300,000 customers.
🌐 The brand initially targeted Tier 2 and beyond markets, partnering with Flipkart due to its deep market penetration.
🎯 The goal is to reach 5 million customers within the next 3 years, with Flipkart as a key contributor to this journey.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding menstrual cups?
-The main issue discussed is the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding menstrual cups, which hinders their widespread adoption despite their benefits.
What prompted the speakers to focus on menstrual awareness and the use of menstrual cups?
-The speakers were prompted by a distressing situation during the 2020 lockdown, where workers had to handle old sanitary pads without proper protection, leading them to realize the need for better menstrual hygiene solutions like menstrual cups.
How did the founders approach the stigma surrounding menstrual cups?
-The founders tackled the stigma by openly discussing topics like menstruation, safe sex, and menstrual cup usage, aiming to normalize conversations around these subjects.
What were some of the common concerns people had about using menstrual cups?
-Common concerns included questions about where to insert the menstrual cup, whether one can urinate while using it, and if it affects virginity.
Why did the founders decide not to be just another brand selling menstrual cups?
-The founders wanted to address the root problem of lack of awareness and education rather than simply selling the product, aiming to create a more informed customer base.
What role did Flipkart play in the growth of the brand?
-Flipkart played a significant role as a partner, helping the brand reach a wider audience, especially in non-metro areas, contributing to a large portion of their monthly orders.
How did the founders perceive the initial skepticism from their friends about the product's potential?
-The founders remained confident despite skepticism, using it as motivation to prove the potential of their product as they grew from 100 to nearly 300,000 customers.
What was the strategy behind launching the brand's products?
-Each product was launched with the intent to make women's lives easier and more convenient, starting with the menstrual cup and sterilizer.
What is the long-term goal of the brand in terms of customer reach?
-The brand aims to reach at least 5 million customers in the next three years, with Flipkart expected to play a major role in achieving this goal.
What message do the founders want to convey to others regarding making a change?
-The founders encourage others to believe that anyone can bring about change, just as they did, by addressing important issues and offering solutions.

Outlines

00:00

🩸 Breaking the Silence on Periods and Stigma

This paragraph discusses the pervasive stigma around menstruation in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap in awareness. The author recounts a distressing incident during the 2020 lockdown where waste workers had to handle unsanitary menstrual products, highlighting the importance of menstrual cups as an alternative. The real issue is not the product itself but the lack of awareness and stigma surrounding it. The paragraph sets the stage for a broader conversation on menstruation and menstrual cup usage.

🩺 Addressing Misconceptions and Raising Awareness

This paragraph focuses on the importance of open conversations about menstruation, including topics like safe sex and menstrual health. The authors share that they received numerous questions from customers about menstrual cups, indicating widespread misconceptions and lack of knowledge. They emphasize their goal of not just selling menstrual cups but addressing the root problem: the lack of awareness. This section underscores their commitment to making period talk and menstrual health education the new normal.

💍 Building a Brand with a Purpose

The paragraph recounts the inception of their brand, FeFe, during August 2020. Unlike typical couples planning their wedding, the founders were focused on testing different menstrual cup samples. Despite skepticism from friends about the product's potential, the brand gradually gained traction, growing from 100 customers to nearly 300,000. The founders reflect on how they faced doubts at every stage but remained determined to succeed and make a difference.

🚀 Partnering with Flipkart for Greater Reach

This paragraph discusses the brand's strategy to penetrate deeper into non-metropolitan areas, particularly through partnerships with marketplaces like Flipkart, which has significant reach in these regions. The brand's journey from receiving less than 100 orders per month to now nearly 10,000 orders, with Flipkart contributing 30-35% of this, is highlighted. The founders express their goal of reaching 5 million customers in the next three years, with Flipkart playing a major role in this growth.

💡 Creating Products for Women's Convenience

In this final paragraph, the founders discuss their product line, starting with the ManUp sterilizer, and how each product was designed to make women's lives easier and more convenient. They reflect on the positive impact they've had on the lives of many people and encourage others to bring about change as well. The paragraph concludes with optimism about future growth and continued partnership with Flipkart to reach more customers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to the societal shame or negative attitudes associated with certain topics, in this case, menstruation. The video discusses how women do not talk openly about periods due to the strong stigma surrounding the subject. This stigma exists in both urban (Metro) and rural (non-Metro) areas, making it difficult to address issues related to menstruation, such as the use of menstrual cups.

💡Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups are a reusable feminine hygiene product designed to collect menstrual fluid. The video emphasizes their benefits and the challenges in promoting their use due to lack of awareness and stigma. Despite being a safer and more sustainable option, many women have misconceptions about menstrual cups, which the speakers aim to address through awareness campaigns.

💡Awareness

Awareness in this context refers to the knowledge and understanding of menstruation and menstrual products like menstrual cups. The video highlights the importance of spreading awareness to break the stigma and educate women about their options. The founders of the brand mentioned in the video focus on creating awareness to empower women to make informed choices about their menstrual health.

💡2020 Lockdown

The 2020 lockdown refers to the period during the COVID-19 pandemic when strict restrictions were in place. The video mentions that during this time, the speakers observed distressing situations, such as workers having to handle unsanitary waste, which motivated them to promote menstrual cups as a more hygienic alternative.

💡FeFe

FeFe is the brand started by the speakers in August 2020, which focuses on menstrual products like menstrual cups. Unlike other couples who focus on wedding planning, the founders of FeFe were dedicated to developing their product line to make women’s lives easier. The brand aims to change societal perceptions and promote the use of menstrual cups.

💡Safe Sex

Safe sex refers to practices that reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies. In the video, the speakers mention that in addition to menstruation, they also talk openly about safe sex, which is often considered taboo. This discussion is part of their broader mission to normalize conversations about women’s health.

💡Virginity

Virginity in this context relates to concerns that women have about using menstrual cups. The video mentions that some women fear they might lose their virginity by using menstrual cups, reflecting the misconceptions and lack of education surrounding the product. The speakers address these concerns to help dispel myths and promote the safe use of menstrual cups.

💡Flipkart

Flipkart is a major e-commerce platform in India. The video discusses how Flipkart has been a key partner for FeFe since its inception, helping the brand reach customers in Tier 2 and beyond cities. The deep market penetration of Flipkart has significantly contributed to FeFe's growth, allowing them to scale from a few orders a month to thousands.

💡Tier 2 and Beyond

Tier 2 and beyond refers to cities and towns in India that are less urbanized compared to metropolitan areas. The video explains that FeFe targeted these areas to penetrate the market, leveraging platforms like Flipkart. These regions are crucial for the brand's growth, as they represent a large, often underserved, segment of the population.

💡Sanitary Pads

Sanitary pads are disposable feminine hygiene products commonly used during menstruation. The video contrasts the use of sanitary pads with menstrual cups, highlighting a distressing situation where workers had to handle old sanitary pads during the lockdown. This experience motivated the speakers to advocate for menstrual cups as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative.

Highlights

Women do not talk openly about periods due to a strong stigma, which remains consistent across both metro and non-metro areas.

During the 2020 lockdown, workers had to dig into one-week-old sanitary pads, highlighting the distressing issue of menstrual waste management.

The lack of awareness and stigma around menstrual cups is a major issue, despite the product's benefits.

The founders decided to address the lack of awareness by openly discussing safe sex, menstruation, and menstrual cups, breaking traditional filters.

They received numerous customer inquiries about menstrual cups, indicating a significant knowledge gap regarding their use.

The brand aims to bridge the gap of awareness, making period talk 'The New Normal' and providing education on how to use menstrual cups.

FeFe was founded in August 2020, with a focus on making women's lives easier and more convenient through their products.

Instead of traditional wedding planning, the founders were focused on finding the best menstrual cup samples to launch their brand.

Despite skepticism from friends about the stigmatized nature of their product, the brand successfully scaled from 100 customers to nearly 3 lakh customers.

The founders consistently faced doubts at every stage of growth, but remained confident in their mission and laughed off the skepticism.

The brand initially targeted Tier 2 and beyond cities, recognizing that Flipkart had the deepest penetration in non-metro areas.

Flipkart has been a key partner since day one, contributing significantly to the brand's growth, especially in reaching non-metro customers.

The brand grew from less than 100 orders a month to almost 10,000 orders per month, with 30-35% of orders coming from Flipkart.

ManUp and sterilizer were the first products launched, designed to make women's lives easier and more convenient.

The brand aims to reach at least 5 million customers in the next 3 years, with Flipkart playing a major role in this growth journey.