Changing The Game: Unilever Launch Bold New Film Around Periods in Sport

In a striking collaboration between Dirt Is Good (Unilever) and Arsenal F.C, creative agency Aphra has produced a powerful short film has launched inline with the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 England Victory — shining a light on an issue that’s long been kept in the shadows: the impact of period shame on girls in sport.

Set at Arsenal’s Community Hub in London and featuring real teenage footballers, the film captures a moment every girl dreads — the sudden, visible arrival of a period while playing. But instead of focusing on embarrassment or avoidance, the film reclaims this moment as one of solidarity, resilience and dignity.

Aphra led the creative development and full production of the campaign, working closely with the Persil team at Unilever to shape a compelling narrative that doesn’t shy away from discomfort. At the heart of the film is a spoken word poem, written to reflect the rhythm, pressure and power of the female body — especially when in motion.

“We wanted to tell a story that felt real, raw and representative,” says Grace Carter, Aphra’s Founder and MD.

For Every Girl Video - Unilever/Persil

“It’s about showing what it means to keep playing when the world tells you to sit out. To sweat, to bleed, and to stay in the game.”

The all-female crew — from direction and camera through to styling, sound, and scripting — brought deep authenticity to the project, ensuring the film reflected the lived experience of girls navigating sport during puberty.

The result is a beautifully shot, emotionally resonant piece of branded storytelling that challenges long-standing taboos and calls on the sporting and advertising worlds alike to do better by girls.

The film will be used across Unilever’s global social platforms as part of its ongoing For Every Girl campaign, which advocates for systemic change to keep girls active, confident, and included — no matter what their bodies are doing.

At The Female Body, we champion content that shifts the narrative around women’s health and visibility — and this campaign is exactly that. It breaks the silence, resists shame, and puts young women’s bodies in motion at the centre of the screen — not hidden, not apologised for, but celebrated.

This project proves that when brands collaborate with the right creative teams — and make space for women to lead — the result is not just a campaign, but a cultural moment.

CREDITS

Client: Dirt is Good (Unilever)

Creative Agency: Aphra

Production Company: Mill Road

Location: Arsenal FC

Talent: Arsenal in the Community and Scarlett Archer

Football Coach: Mya Priddie Barbosa

Executive Creative Producer & Script Writer: Grace Carter

Spoken Word Poet: Karlenna Burchell

Director & Editor: Carly Claydon-Davies

Creative Lead: Caitlin Aitchison

Producer: Petra von Schalien

Production Manager: Amy Brazewell

Project Manager: Jenni Harvey

Director of Photography: Oona Menges

Camera Operator: Aga Szeliga

A Cam 1st AC and Ronin 4D Tech: Gosia Zur

B Cam 1st AC: Shirley Schumacher

2nd AC: Jean AshGaffer: Carolina Schmidtholstein

Spark: Edel Gardner

Data Wrangler: Arie Priede

Sound Design: Claire Bilyard

Colourist: Hannah Squires

Make-Up Artist: Deanna V’Icevska

Vice President of Marketing, Dirt is Good: Tati Lindenberg

Global Marketing Director, Dirt is Good: Daniela Olivero

Global Marketing Manager, Dirt is Good: Holly Hetherington

Global Assistant Marketing Manager, Dirt is Good: Rebecca Eldridge

Global Assistant Marketing Manager, Dirt is Good: Marni Salem

Global Partnerships Manager: Ricardo Zampol

Global Assistant Partnerships Manager: Grace Zhiamin Lee

Sports Centre Manager, Arsenal FC: Emma Wells

Secondary Education Curriculum Lead, Arsenal FC: Holly Fanshawe