Latest news with #menstrualcare
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This Black-Owned Brand For Tweens And Teens Is Leading The First-Period Revolution
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission. It's a reasonable assumption: of course the impetus for two women starting a menstrual care brand for tweens and teens would be their own first-period stories. But in the case of RedDrop's co-founders, educator Dana Roberts and Dr. Monica Williams, you would be wrong. When the two set out to build a holistic safe haven for young girls and their parents, their sole motivation was the next generation. More from SheKnows Charlotte Tilbury's New 'Unreal' Blush Stick Is Like a Facelift in a Tube & Perfect for a 'No-Makeup' Summer Look Today's Top Deals How Do You Raise Good Kids in Terrifying Times? 'Hello, Cruel World' Author Melinda Wenner Moyer Has Ideas Think Spring! Target Just Added Tons of Gorgeous New Patio Items Target Is Having a Can't-Miss Spring Sandal Sale for Circle Members 'Red Drop was started out of my classroom,' Roberts, then a fifth-grade teacher recalls. 'I was teaching in a single gender environment, and so I had a classroom full of 22 fifth-grade girls and my daughter was in the fifth grade at that time. More than half of them started their periods with me. And it was crazy, it was insane. In particular, there was one story where a girl asked me if she was dying. So that really changed the whole dynamic of my classroom.' Roberts's response was an early iteration of what would become RedDrop's signature period kits. Initially dubbed 'First Purse,' the makeshift set included a pair of underwear, pads, tampons, wipes, a disposable trash bag and small calendar. But Roberts knew her curated approach needed to extend further, so she looked to tap her sister-in-law, Dr. Monica Williams. 'Monica is a serial entrepreneur. So I went to her and I was like, 'Hey, I have this idea,'' says Roberts. 'She was knee-deep into her own company and she couldn't see it at the time, but that was because my niece McKenzie was only a baby.' Buying into RedDrop took a few more years, but Dr. Williams eventually returned to the idea once she realized her own daughter's first period was looming. 'As a physician, still not being really clear on how to have that conversation without making it sound like a lifelong disease was really tricky,' she admits. All of a sudden, Roberts's initially-forgettable idea was a close-to-home need for Dr. Williams, and the two joined forces to create the RedDrop brand in 2019. The origin story underscored an idea that would become essential to their undertaking. 'No matter the profession, no matter how educated you are, it has to resonate,' Roberts notes. 'It has to sometimes literally be like, 'Oh my God, my baby's 10, it's coming.'' With new-and-improved period kits, specialized smaller-fit pads, hygiene wipes, educational resources and a newly-released swimwear line, Roberts and Dr. Williams are changing the period game for children and parents alike, offering a range of resources that remains rare amongst larger-scale feminine product brands. For now, it's still a revolution. But they're both hoping it won't be one forever. Dr. Monica Williams: Let me ask you a question. Do you remember your first period? MW: Yes, I would love to hear your story, but what I'll tell you is, it is a keystone memory for 99 percent of women. And that right there is why we do what we do. Let's hear your story. Dana Roberts: I think about when we have these conversations, especially—and I'm very unapologetic when I say Black women and Black girls will experience higher rates of sexual exploitation. Black women also experience higher rates of medical systemic racism. So I often think, what if we could have this conversation to start advocacy on how you navigate your relationships with your body and not just sexual or love relationships? I'm talking about your relationship with your doctor, your relationship with your coaches, your relationship with yourself, your parents. The more and more and more I become immersed in this work, it is just so super important, especially to a demographic of women and girls who just face so many challenges in trying to empower themselves and advocate for themselves about their bodies. Trauma's usually passed down, for the most part. And so how I look at it is, our parents and our caretakers did the best that they could do. And now, for us, it's just shifting the whole narrative, like not sexualizing periods and really just talking about it as a biological function. This is what's going to happen to your body. And I really do believe that if we would've had some better conversations, I'm talking about we, me and my mom, that even though she prepared me, that I would be so much better prepared for the stage that I'm in right now, which is menopause, and I'm so unprepared. MW: I don't know if I can say it was intentional from the beginning, but definitely medically, learning to advocate for yourself is huge. And I think some of the tools that we provide, really help with that. So with the period tracker, if you are able to articulate that 'I've had this many days,' or 'My cycle is this irregular' or 'Now it's regular,' and you have physical proof, you can speak about that with real clarity and get better care. Another piece of this story too, that I often forget, is to whom I'm married. He was also a single dad at the time, and your story kind of reminded me of that. And I remember during our first meeting, he recalled his daughter getting her first period and him literally not having any idea what to do. He was picking up the phone, calling his sisters, calling his mom. They came over, swooped in and kind of took care of things. But I do think this kit and the way that we started was really based on a lot of those experiences that I heard about, I didn't personally experience, but were really integral and critical to the formation of this partnership. DR: Actually, I think Monica really led that one. MW: Honestly, that came from when me and another former partner visited Douglas County. It was our first engagement and the two of us did a meeting and they mentioned bathroom passes. And so we're like, 'Sure, we can make 'em.' And that's honestly how that happened. DR: I mean it has to go hand-in-hand. I think what Monica and I have realized through this journey is that there is a very real lack of understanding. And I will say, there is a real thirst for understanding. We get in front of girls a lot, and honestly the parents are the ones that are shy and don't want to really have the conversations. But the girls are asking very pointed questions about their body, about everything. Literally when they feel comfortable, the sky's the limit with their questions. When you realize that girls are learning about their bodies sometimes through trauma-induced conversations with their parents by no fault of their own, or they're learning from their friends, or unfortunately now they have the world kind of at their fingertips and they're learning through Google, it just makes sense for us to be able to explain it in a way that they can understand it. MW: So Growing Up Powerful is actually in partnership with Rebel Girls. So Rebel Girls reached out to us and said, 'Hey, we have this Growing Up Powerful book and we really have a real concentration on puberty and periods.' And so what we partnered with them with is, that particular section all based on puberty and periods. We wrote the foreword and then sprinkled some of our advice and education through there, especially as it relates to using products and making sure that you're prepared for camp and spend-the-nights and all those things. So it was actually really a blessing, because we really wanted to write a book, but it's only us. And so to be able to partner with them to get it curated and out there was really a blessing. And it's actually, I would say one of our best sellers, we've had to keep it in rotation, which lets you know that people, parents, caretakers, girls, they want to learn about the overall, like you said, holistic experience of puberty and periods. MW: I really enjoy the in-person events where we get to interact with girls. Some of the interactions with moms, I think a lot of them are digital, but where we get to really interact with girls — I think Dana really underscored it earlier in the conversation about how open they are, how thankful they are that they can talk about this freely. Some moms are not present in the room and they can ask questions that maybe feel a little taboo. 'Am I still virgin after I use a tampon?' It's really rewarding. I think it's also refreshing because I feel like moms are the most afraid of this situation, and it's refreshing that the girls aren't and that they embrace their bodies. So I feel really rewarded by what we're doing and I'm hopeful that we are really making a long-term impact because what we're doing for this generation of girls hopefully transforms the next generation. I think it's really, really exciting. DR: I tell people when I leave this earth, my goal is if my children have daughters, it will resonate through my granddaughters and through my great-granddaughters. And that's the goal: preferably, this won't even be a conversation for them. I do think, like Monica said, we do get the most feedback, I would say from girls, but we get a lot of feedback from parents digitally. They'll do some reviews, they'll send us emails. We did a couple of focus groups and I think it's honestly sometimes a sense of relief. They're just relieved that they're there, that we are here, and that they kind of have a partner in this journey. Unless you had this amazing experience with your own mom, there's no guidebook to this. You have to figure it out. And so to be able to go to YouTube or to be able to look at our digital classes or whatever, just helps them help prepare their girls. DR: Yeah, absolutely. I'm sure I can speak for Monica on this. What we hope for is that this isn't even a real thing, it's just a normal conversation. We know that we are not going to be the anomaly on products or on this experience, and that's okay. So what we hope for is that eventually this will become such a normal process that girls have multiple options to figure out what is best for their bodies. When you say 'revolutionaries,' I have become really grounded recently in—and a lot of people don't realize— the fact that a Black woman created the sanitary belt. Mary Patrice Kenner created the sanitary belt. She got no money from that. She got no recognition except for now. Now people Google her during Black History Month and they give her props, but generationally, her family didn't get generational wealth from that, you know what I'm saying? And so it is a revolution for us to be able to continue her work on her shoulders. It's revolutionary for me. I assume too, for Monica as well, it is destined, to really catapult this Black woman because we wouldn't be here without her. DR: I would say to her that she has the opportunity to wake up every day and still do whatever she wants to do in her period journey because of the intentionality of Black women. Because we are very intentional and we believe that she deserves that holistic positive experience. What we want her to do is to take those tools, products, education, empowerment, advocacy and live her best life, whether she's on her period or not. MW: It's a mix of things. Part of me feels like this is only the beginning because kind of like Dana said, I'm also in the menopause phase, and now at the other end of this arc, you really realize how many changes our bodies go through, and that it's really just the beginning. And I think it's just important to embrace those changes, embrace your body and get ready for the next ones. But that's a hard message to give to a 10, 11-year-old kid. So what I anticipate is they're feeling curious, anxious, scared, nervous, happy, excited. There's this whole range of feelings and I think that that's all normal and that I think it's also just really important to know that you're not alone. This is happening to half of the population on this planet. So in the best way possible, feel empowered, feel a part of a huge community and embrace it and just get ready for the ride. Before you go, shop our favorite teen skincare brands: More Top Deals from SheKnows Is Walmart+ Worth It? Giada De Laurentiis' Newest Cookbook Is Packed With Italian Super Food Recipes Stanley Tumblers Now Come With New Leakproof Lids & Customers Are Raving About Them Best of SheKnows Amanda Seyfried, Megan Fox, & More Celebrities Who Have OCD 18 Baking Soda-Free Natural Deodorants That Won't Irritate Your Sensitive Pits 24 Celebrities Living With Autoimmune Disorders
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Susie Hewson's Mission To Detoxify Feminine Hygiene
Natracare is transforming menstrual care by eliminating plastics and toxins—challenging industry ... More norms and reducing global microplastic pollution. As the climate and waste crises intensify, one of the most overlooked contributors to environmental degradation is also among the most personal: menstrual care. Every year, billions of pads and tampons—many laced with plastics and toxic chemicals—are discarded, leaving behind microplastics that persist for generations. According to the BBC, 49 billion single-use period products are used every year in Europe alone, and in the US, about 20 billion are discarded each year, generating 240,000 tonnes of solid waste. Globally, disposable sanitary pads—which can contain up to 90% plastic and largely end up in landfills—are the most commonly used menstrual product. Other researchshows that disposable pads are estimated to take 500 to 800 years to break down, and materials such as plastics never truly biodegrade in a landfill. This is of major concern given that each menstruator will use and dispose of between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their lifetime. Despite this mounting evidence of the ecological and health dangers of conventional products, the feminine hygiene industry has been slow to reform, held back by entrenched norms and legacy corporate interests. Enter Susie Hewson, a pioneering voice who has been challenging this status quo for over three decades. After watching a documentary that revealed the environmental toll of chlorine bleaching in pulp production, Hewson, already engaged in environmental conservation, launched a personal campaign that gave rise to Natracare in 1989. At a time when conversations around the health and ecological impact of period products were nearly nonexistent, Hewson brought to the forefront the dangers of dioxins, synthetic fibers and microplastics. Natracare emerged as the world's first organic and plastic-free menstrual care brand. It was a deliberate, values-driven response to both ecological harm and the disregard for women's health in product design. The company's approach has long predated recent trends in ethical consumerism, with innovations like certified organic cotton tampons, biodegradable applicators and totally chlorine-free processes. Now, as a certified B Corp, Natracare continues to push the industry by proving that it is possible to scale a business rooted in environmental stewardship and human health. Hewson's journey, from reimagining her career in her mid-thirties to taking on global giants in the period products industry, highlights the role small but principled companies can play in correcting market failures—where the social and environmental costs of mainstream products are offloaded onto communities and ecosystems. In doing so, Natracare doesn't just provide a better product; it also offers a powerful case study in how to rebalance business incentives around true sustainability. Christopher Marquis: Susie, you restarted your career at 34. What triggered you to do that, and how did you come up with the idea behind Natracare? Susie Hewson, founder of Natracare Susie Hewson: There is a natural instinct I quickly rediscovered as a mother of two children under three with respect to reasonable concerns for the future of the world they would inherit. I had been involved in nature conservation, so it was easy for me to react to a documentary exposing how the pulping industry was polluting our water, air and soils with its carcinogenic byproducts of dioxins and furans generated by the commonly used chlorine bleaching processes. That triggered my personal campaign to raise awareness of the negative ecological and health impacts of the tampon and pad brands of the time that dominated global markets; it was the start of the journey out of which Natracare was born in 1989 in the UK. Driven out of respect for nature and serious concern for women's health, I set about informing and educating consumers—and hopefully also manufacturers—on the positive value of using only organic and plant-based materials in period products and changing to environmentally benign, totally chlorine-free processes. I also needed to highlight and challenge the common use of oil-based fibres and polyacrylates, both of which release damaging microplastics into nature. These raw materials were—and to a major extent still are—used in many brands of absorbent pads, tampons and wipes. Science has now consistently demonstrated just how permanently damaging their impacts continue to be in our oceans and soils as well as their contribution to air pollution. Certified organic cotton as a fibre of choice was important to me in order to make a point and show best practice as well as highlight the devastating impact on the environment and agricultural workers (mostly women) of the use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in agriculture. Organic is superior in so many ways to synthetics and plastics, and organic has full consideration for the rights and well-being of growers and processors. I aggressively questioned the status quo through campaigning for safer processing and the use of organic and nature-derived raw materials, as well as raising the issues we women had with the use of synthetic fibers and plastics in tampons and disposable pads. As we entered the 1990s, my campaign gathered momentum and broad support in the USA and Canada as well, and that led to Natracare creating a challenger campaign and a whole new category of period products. Marquis: What is your background? What were you pursuing before Natracare came into being? Hewson: I graduated from art school in London as a graphic designer in 1975. I worked for various private and state companies over the years, then moved to Sweden in 1979 to study Swedish and weaving. There I did a lot of trekking and skiing, and I became an accomplished weaver. I went back to university in 1981 to complete a master's in education. I taught 11- to 18-year-olds in the UK for a few years, in art and design (and, when required, major sports). In 1985, I moved to Vancouver for love, swapped my cross-country skis for alpines, and used my other university qualifications to teach fitness and AquaFit. In 1986, carrying my first child, I returned to the UK and set up my own fitness franchise teaching all variations of fitness, including AquaFit. This was my introduction to writing a business plan and running a business. It was mid-1988 when my plans to create my own menstrual hygiene brand started to flow. Marquis: At the core of your business, you are all about revolutionizing period care. Could you elaborate more on how you are doing that? Hewson: First, there is knowledge, and then there is design for change. In the United States alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded each year. While many of these products end up in a landfill, others clog sewers or contribute to the staggering amount of microplastics in our oceans. Natracare revolutionized period care by becoming the first 100% cotton tampon since the 1940s, the first certified organic 100% cotton tampons, as well as the first totally chlorine-free, certified compostable range of products—saying 'absolutely no' to the pernicious flow of microplastics into our oceans. Marquis: Becoming the world's first organic period care brand didn't come easy, so what were some challenges you faced while setting up your business and how did you overcome them? Hewson: Getting start-up capital was impossible then. Imagine asking a bank for a loan to stand up against the largest and most powerful brands in the feminine hygiene industry—and me a woman to boot. No one shared my courage or tenacity, and I definitely suspected there were a few ounces of chauvinism and prejudice behind those desks as well. I had to get a loan against the value of my house to get started. Over the years, as I have become well known in my sector—and as values have changed for the better, I hope—I am no longer asked whose personal secretary I am! Marquis: Natracare is now B-Corp certified. Can you describe the certification process and how it has influenced your company's practices and priorities? Hewson: On January 16, 2025, we announced that Natracare's parent company, Bodywise (UK) Ltd, had achieved B Corp certification, a designation that recognizes Natracare's commitment to social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability—principles the company has held since our inception in 1989. To become a B Corp, companies must meet rigorous standards measured across five key areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. Under the auspices of our parent company, Natracare's achievement in this comprehensive evaluation showcases our continuous dedication to making a positive impact. One of the key areas of impact for Natracare remains plastic education and reduction. According to our research, we've found that, on average, there are 36 grams of plastic in every pack of traditional period pads that enters the market. That's 2.4 grams of plastic per pad, and 2.5 grams for the outer package itself. This equates to the equivalent of five plastic carrier bags per pack of period care under the industry's traditional manufacturing practices. Under Natracare's plastic-free manufacturing parameters, in the past year alone, we have sold 5,444,330 packs of plastic-free period pads, resulting in an estimated 432,096 pounds of plastic saved. That's landing around the average weight of two blue whales, whose marine environment our campaigns seek to keep pristine. By producing certified industrially compostable products, Natracare is keeping crude oil out of our products and operations—and keeping crude oil plastics out of landfills or from being produced in the first place. Additionally, by using biodegradable cardboard applicators instead of plastic ones, we have prevented 11 million plastic applicators from being flushed or from entering landfills. Marquis: Growing your business along with some leading competing brands isn't easy. How are you balancing growth and expansion plans along with empowering your workforce to be a part of your long-term vision? Hewson: As a founding company that remains true to the principles defined in our Environmental and Ethical Policy—specifically in a marketplace drenched with greenwashing—Natracare has been steadfast in our commitment to truth and transparency, out of respect for the importance and values of our campaign objectives. We do not chase dollar gaps in the marketplace, but instead, we direct our focus to designing and producing products which address real health and ecological concerns. Our team members have been drawn to working for Natracare because they have seen that our company values reflect their values. We have a few of our staff who have been with us for more than 20 years, many upwards of eight years and a few knocking on 12 years. In addition to earning respect, empowerment is about the development of skills and opportunities. There may be more competing brands out there today as investor-led power-ups see their opportunities in this arena, but we are confident that our deep commitment to women's health, meaningful growth and nature-friendly solutions is the pinnacle we alone stand upon.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Sequel Tampons Wins Female Brand Trust Through Men's Sports
WASHINGTON - JUNE 5: D.C. United fans look on against Real Salt Lake during a MLS soccer match on ... More June 5, 2010 at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. (Photo by) Getty Images When Sequel, a menstrual care startup, recently signed a stadium sponsorship deal with Audi Field - home of D.C. United men's soccer - it won't just slap its name on a scoreboard. It will place free tampons throughout a venue historically associated with men's sports, recognizing menstruating fans as full participants, not afterthoughts. This isn't a CSR gesture. It is a strategic move to embed utility and visibility and earn brand trust where it's long been missing. The first article of this series explored corporate DEI efforts as they faltered under the weight of overpromising and underdelivering—and how marketing was implicated in exposing that gap. The second introduced a new lens for understanding consumer backlash: the psychology of social threat and reward. The most recent article proposed that the next era of brand trust would be shaped not by ideology, but by how five core dimensions of social well-being are responded to by brands: Connection, Agency, Recognition, Equity, and Security. Together, these five dimensions form the CARES Framework. CARES captures how consumers assess brand experiences not only for functional value, but for how they impact emotional and relational well-being. It's not just about what brands do—it's about how brands engage with the social threat already present in consumers' lives. CARES urges marketers to: Recognize the social threat consumers feel at the macro (societal), meso (community), and micro (individual) levels; Avoid contributing to that threat through brand actions, messages, and omissions; Create experiences that actively deliver social reward across five core domains: Connection, Agency, Recognition, Equity, and Security. In today's landscape of hyper-visibility and heightened sensitivity, many brands hesitate to take bold action, fearing the kind of backlash that has sunk campaigns, derailed careers, and diluted missions. Sequel isn't just avoid triggering threat—it's meeting the moment with clarity, confidence, and cultural intelligence. By addressing an often-ignored population in a high-profile men's sports venue, the brand signals a new standard for visibility and relevance. This moment is also made possible by D.C. United and, more broadly, Major League Soccer—a league that increasingly understands that expanding the fan experience means recognizing, not marginalizing, its full audience. In supporting Sequel's presence, MLS shares the spotlight and helps create a platform for social reward. This isn't just a one-off headline. It is a blueprint for emotionally intelligent branding - an activation of social reward across all five CARES domains. Here's how: Connection: 'We Actually Recognize That Men's Sports Have Female Fans' This quote from Sequel cofounder and CMO Amanda Calabrese captures a long-overdue shift in brand thinking. Female fans have always been in the stands, but rarely acknowledged as core customers. Sequel's presence in Audi Field doesn't just say you belong here; it says you always did. Unlike brands that isolate female fans through pinkwashed marketing or "separate but unequal" experiences, Sequel builds connection through integration - making menstrual care a seamless part of the shared sports experience. D.C. United's openness to the partnership reflects a broader shift within Major League Soccer (MLS) toward recognizing all fans, not as niche markets, but as core participants in the culture of the game. Agency: Performance-Driven Design Over Pink-Washed Packaging Sequel's innovation isn't superficial. Their spiral tampon was designed based on the needs of elite women athletes - optimized for comfort, performance, and movement. That's not cause marketing. That's product empowerment. Rather than rebranding existing products in pastel colors, Sequel focuses on giving users more control over their physical comfort and experience. This isn't marketing to women—it's designing with them in mind. D.C. United's decision to give Sequel a platform within MLS reflects an organizational commitment to giving fans - and the brands that serve them - room to operate with dignity and relevance. When leagues remove outdated gatekeeping, they unlock agency for both athletes and audiences. Recognition: Building Brand Trust Through Visibility Sequel's move isn't about claiming elite sponsorship real estate. It is about recognition - elevating an essential need that had long been overlooked. By embedding menstrual care visibly into the stadium experience, Sequel validated the presence and importance of female fans. This contrasts sharply with traditional sponsorships that prioritize visibility for luxury goods or entertainment tie-ins. Sequel recognizes that providing for basic needs can be a powerful form of respect - one that turns silent necessities into visible norms. D.C. United amplifies that recognition by treating Sequel's partnership as a mainstream, not marginal, part of the stadium experience. Equity: Fairness as Design Logic In Sequel's deal with Audi Field, menstrual products won't be offered only during women's games or in separate zones. They'll be available at every event, for every attendee who needs them. That signals equity - not accommodation. When brands and organizations assume the presence and needs of all consumers from the outset, they level the playing field. Fairness isn't positioned as an extra favor—it becomes basic design logic. MLS's role isn't passive. By enabling equal access across all games—not just women's matches - D.C. United and the league will institutionalize fairness as a feature of the venue, not an exception for special circumstances. Security: Removing Stigma, Building Assurance Events are high-stakes experiences. Whether you're at a game, concert, or public rally, no one wants to worry about whether basic needs will be met. By offering free, high-quality menstrual products in public restrooms, Sequel removes uncertainty and potential embarrassment. That's how brands create emotional safety: not through slogans, but through preparedness. The fact that a major men's sports venue, under MLS leadership, embraces Sequel's integration sends an even bigger signal: you are not an afterthought. Embedding care into infrastructure—not just messaging—helps reduce stigma and build real trust. When people don't have to think about whether their needs will be met, they can fully engage in the experience - and deepen their connection to the brand and environment, providing that security. From Framework to Field Play Sequel didn't set out to follow the CARES Framework. But by listening deeply, designing intentionally, and showing up in unexpected places, they demonstrate what social reward looks like when it's done right. The brand isn't performing allyship. It's practicing utility. It isn't seeking applause. It's providing assurance. This is how brands move from avoidance to action, from relevance to resonance. Notably, they will do it without triggering backlash. Why? Because the effort is real. Because the product solves a problem. Because the presence felt is earned, not inserted. That's the difference between building recognition and demanding credit. Closing: How Sequel Shows that Brand Trust Still Wins The best brand strategies aren't built on risk aversion. They're built on insight, courage, and a commitment to delivering what consumers actually need to feel seen, secure, and respected. Connection, Agency, Recognition, Equity, and Security aren't just soft goals. They are hard drivers of trust, loyalty, and growth. If your brand hasn't yet mapped how its actions affect each of these dimensions, now is the time. Ask yourself: Where might we be complicit in social threat? Where are we silent when we could be supportive? And where can we go beyond risk mitigation to deliver real, resonant reward? The CARES Framework offers a practical tool for navigating these questions—not as a checklist, but as a compass. Let it guide your next product decision, your next campaign brief, your next boardroom conversation. Because the future of brand relevance isn't neutral. It's built on brand trust, emotional safety, human connection — and bold moves like Sequel's that show consumers they truly belong.
