Clemenger BBDO, Swisse, Aisha Dee Get Hysterical For Women's Health
Wellness brand Swisse has unveiled 'HYSTERIA', a new campaign with creative agency Clemenger BBDO that turns a centuries-old term of dismissal into a rallying cry for women's health advocacy.
The campaign draws attention to a stark funding gap: just 3% of Australian medical research dollars are directed toward women's health issues — a disparity Swisse says reflects deeper systemic problems around awareness, investment and medical understanding.
At the heart of the campaign is the word "hysteria" itself, which traces back to 'hystera', the Greek term for uterus. For hundreds of years, the label was used to wave away women's pain, mood changes, low libido and other symptoms now understood to be linked to PMS, perimenopause and menopause — all once blamed on a mythical "wandering womb," a theory doctors abandoned in the 1700s.
By reclaiming this history, the campaign takes aim at persistent myths surrounding women's hormonal health across every stage of life, while spotlighting Swisse's evidence-based approach to supplements and its broader push for education and wellbeing.
Audiences are directed to wearehysterical.com.au, a resource built to help people "get Hysterical for Women's Health" — offering vetted research, clinical trial updates, and pathways to join studies. The site pulls from respected sources including Women's Mental Health Australia, Endometriosis Australia, Monash University's HER Centre, Jean Hailes and Ovum Health, with the goal of converting information into action.
Beyond awareness-building, Swisse is putting money behind the cause. The brand has teamed up with Endometriosis Australia to help train 100 nurses through an Endometriosis Nurse Scholarship Program, and with Monash University's HER Centre — via One In Five Mental Health Charity — to back a Menopausal Depression Pilot Trial and a Fellowship focused on eating disorder research.
Stephanie Taylor, marketing director at Swisse Wellness, said the company felt obligated to act. "As a leading Australian health business innovating in hormonal-related supplementation, Swisse has a responsibility to do our part in advocating for increased funding, research, education and better health outcomes that women and people with female reproductive systems deserve."
She revealed the campaign's development was deeply personal for the team behind it. "This campaign was created by a group of women who have first-hand experience of women's health issues being difficult to navigate and diagnose. In the 12 months we developed this campaign, each of us has experienced women's health-related conditions including endometriosis-related diagnoses, surgeries and pregnancy loss, IVF journeys, IUD complications, unexplained pain, perimenopause and menopause symptoms, that have significantly impacted our quality of life. This project has prompted difficult but critical conversations among us -- we hope that We Are Hysterical encourages others to have these same discussions."
Clemenger BBDO's group business director Bonny Dixon framed the work as part of a larger creative mission. "One of the things we're most proud of in our ongoing partnership with Swisse is the shared belief that creativity can do more than sell a product, it can help move important conversations forward. 'We Are Hysterical' is more than a campaign; it's a platform intended to keep growing through Swisse's owned channels, partnerships and future initiatives. The hope is that the conversation doesn't stop here, but continues to educate, challenge perceptions and inspire advocacy long into the future."
Fronting the campaign is Australian actress Aisha Dee, who brings her own lived experience to the initiative after being recently diagnosed with endometriosis and PMOS.
"I believe the most radical thing we can do as women is reclaim our bodies. Vitality is our birthright and we deserve to have our pain taken seriously," Dee said. "Partnering with Swisse on this campaign feels so beautifully aligned. I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of such a profound conversation. My hope is that by speaking my truth, I can inspire others to do the same, and that our collective voices will be the inspiration for change."
The campaign will run across BVOD/SVOD, digital, social media and out-of-home street posters, leaning heavily on data to keep women's health visible in the national conversation. Swisse has also struck a partnership with Shameless Media to create community gatherings where women can connect, share information and explore advocacy opportunities together.
The push coincides with Swisse's science-backed Women's Health supplement range, formulated to address symptoms spanning PMS, perimenopause and menopause, along with support for fatigue, cognitive performance and vaginal health. The company says it will continue investing in women's health research and developing targeted supplements informed by real-world studies, clinical trials and credible scientific research.
