No Shame in the Game: Dirt Is Good and Arsenal Tackle Period Stigma in Sport

Created by Mullen Lowe, Persil challenges the double standards of blood stains in sports, empowering athletes to play without fear

By Creative Salon

26 February 2025

Arsenal and Dirt Is Good have joined forces to break the stigma surrounding period stains in sports. Featuring support from Arsenal stars Beth Mead and Leah Williamson, the campaign created by Mullen Lowe aims to inspire and empower the next generation of players—ensuring that all women and girls can play with confidence, free from fear or shame.

Insight: the reality for young athletes

When an athlete continues to play on despite a bleeding ankle, their blood-stained sock becomes a badge of honour. Yet when it is period blood, it is met with shame and embarrassment. Research amongst 1,000 teenage girls in the UK between 15-18 found that over three quarters (78 per cent) have stopped playing sports because of their periods, with 62 per cent doing so due to fears about period stains and leaks. Those who have experiences stains have felt embarrassed (74 per cent), anxious (49 per cent) and even a sense of shame (33 per cent). More than a quarter say they do not feel comfortable talking openly about periods.

Creativity to challenge and change

The arresting OOH campaign features real photos of female athletes, who have bled during their athletic performances. These leaks and stains are transformed into powerful statements, juxtaposing stained underwear and stained t-shirts to call out the double standards of how blood stains are viewed in sport, questioning why some are seen as a mark of bravery, and others something to be ashamed of.

It was launched in spots around the Arsenal Stadium in the lead up to the women’s North London Derby, maximising the impressive turnout for this popular event. LED screens, a pre-match video teasing the campaign content, and a programme takeover made the topic unmissable for the attending crowd.

Eduardo 'Duda' Salles, global creative director at Mullen Lowe said: “The work for Dirt Is Good is always about encouraging people to live without the fear of getting dirty. We talk about mud, grass, and sweat, but there is still a great deal of stigma around period blood. That’s why we felt that showing real athletes and real blood was essential. More than just an encouraging message, we wanted to inspire young girls with real life examples of resilience – showing how elite athletes play on through all kinds of stains every day.”

The OOH and print assets all link to a video content series, where a star-studded Arsenal line up of Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Katie McCabe and captain Kim Little all give guidance to coaches, parents and teachers alike to break down the barriers and fear of stains. The second burst of content will go live on International Women’s Day (8th March) and will run nationwide near women’s premier league stadiums and schools, in the run up to the Arsenal vs Liverpool Women’s match at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday 23rd March. It will be reinvigorated around other pertinent milestones such as World Menstruation Day in May, and the Women’s Euros in July, alongside striking murals in North London, featuring Arsenal Women’s Team players, determined to end the double standard for blood in sports.

Tati Lindenberg, chief brand officer at Dirt Is Good, said: “Every stain tells a story of determination. Of giving everything to the game you love. We’re proud to team up with Arsenal in challenging this double standard that's pushing young players away from sport. We believe that everyone should feel empowered to play on, enjoy going outside, getting stuck in, and getting dirty. Together, we're backing every player to stay in the game - without fear, without shame, without holding back."

In the Community

The campaign also brings the launch of a new programme through Arsenal in the Community, which supports young girls and boys to break down barriers to sport participation. The new programme involves specially designed workshops which educate young girls and boys about periods, the barriers they pose to sporting participation, as well as safe spaces for the children to ask questions about periods and their menstrual cycle, breaking down the stigma and encouraging conversation. It also includes sports-based exercises with a playful twist: getting teenagers playing in mixed gender groups and encouraging them to think about how they can notice when a teammate may be acting differently, and how this can spark an empathetic conversation to keep their friends in the game. It also then incorporates these principles into training of young coaches so they can better understand and support players through all aspects of the game.

Arsenal Women forward, Beth Mead said: “We’ve all been in that situation, facing a leak or period stain and fearing how others might react to it. But it’s not right to feel shame over something that’s so normal. IIn football, we wear our stains with pride — they show our commitment and passion for the game. That should be the same for all blood stains, regardless of where they come from – because they are part of the game. We’re proud to be part of this campaign and to stand up for girls who feel afraid or ashamed about blood stains when playing sport. We all deserve to play with confidence and feel like we belong in the game we love.”

To hear Arsenal Women share their experiences and to learn more about Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game, visit dirtisgood.com