Anything But Normal: Redefining Women's Health

VML Health & Bayer empower women to question assumptions, redefine their well-being, and advocate for better care

Office: Milan

Client: Bayer

VML Health partnered with WOMEN | Bayer to launch "Anything but Normal" – a groundbreaking campaign that challenges what’s considered “normal” in women’s health.

The campaign message is simple: “If a women’s health issue is holding you back, it’s anything but normal”. Through a film, a hard hitting website, and integrated social media, the campaign sparks vital conversations, empowering women to reclaim their health and create a life without health compromises.

This normalization leads to silent endurance, where women reduce their expectations on quality of life rather than seeking care. We were delighted to work with Bayer to and fight for a future where women can live their lives without compromise as they reclaim their health and well-being by shifting the focus from endurance to empowerment.

Claire Gillis CEO, VML Health

The challenge lies in a pervasive societal narrative. Over 1.5 billion women worldwide, that’s almost 1-in-2, experience women's health issues, yet too many accept this suffering as normal without realising its profound impact on their daily lives. Many of women’s health concerns are often brushed off as ‘normal’ with ingrained conditioning leading many women to quietly reshape their lives around these issues. The objective was to banish the stigma around women’s health issues and open up the discussion between women and their wider support network: doctors, healthcare professionals and family.

The inspiration stemmed from a powerful behavioral insight: millions of women quietly adapt their lives to health challenges, often because they've been conditioned to believe these disruptions are 'normal.' This isn't just about prevalence; it's about the implicit permission women grant themselves to endure rather than ask for help from their doctor or healthcare professional. This realization, that adaptation isn’t acceptance, and endurance isn’t care, coupled with Bayer's century-long dedication and scientific data, ignited a clear directive: to empower women to interrupt this conditioning and reclaim their control over their health by challenging these norms, fostering open dialogue, and providing accessible resources to improve their lives.

Our idea centered on interrupting the cycle of silent suffering by creating a moment of recognition. By confronting what's been normalized, 'Anything but Normal' asks women to stop, question, and understand that coping with health issues is distinct from embracing them, and pushing through is no substitute for care. The campaign invites women to look again and question ‘normality’, and to speak up, share their stories and discuss their symptoms with a healthcare professional. For HCPs, it encourages them to take the same second look and ask what sits behind ‘I’m fine’. This behavioral shift is stimulated by an emotive film, featuring stories of five women, and a website designed for women. The website plays a pivotal role, helping women move from recognition to action by offering practical tools, educational models and equipping them with the language, confidence, and support to effectively engage healthcare professionals. This integrated approach, amplified across social and paid media, provides a safe space for women to question, confront, and get ready to reclaim their health.

The 'Anything but Normal' campaign ignited a powerful behavioral shift. By challenging deeply held beliefs and providing vital resources, the campaign fostered a profound sense of permission and empowerment, leading 72% of engaged women to proactively seek support for more effective conversations with healthcare professionals. This initiative built a global community where shared experiences lead to collective action.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Results Tool. Seattle, United States: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), 2024. Available from http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool [Accessed January 2026].
Impey L, Child T. Chapter 2: The menstrual cycle and its disorders. Pp 9-20. Obstetrics & Gynecology. Fourth Edition. 2012. Wiley-Blackwell.
Kho KA, Shields JK. JAMA. 2020 Jan 21;323(3):268-269.
United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA). Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended a global crisis, says new UNFPA report. March 2022. Available at: https://www.unfpa.org/press/nearly-half-all-pregnancies-are-unintended-global-crisis-says-new-unfpa-report [Accessed October 2025].
Harper JC, et al. Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan-Dec;18:17455057221106890.
Davis SR, Jane F. Aust Fam Physician. 2011 May;40(5):274-8.
Nappi RE et al. Menopause 2021;28:875–82.
Thurston RC, Joffe H. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2011;38:489–501.
Gold EB et al. Am J Public Health 2006;96:1226–35.
Salari N et al. Sleep Breath 2023;27:1883–97.
DePree B et al. Menopause 2023;30:70–9.
Yu Q et al. Menopause 2022;29:553–63.
Martin-Key NA et al. npj Women’s Health 2023;1:1–10.

+1.5 Billion

Experience women's health issues, yet too many accept this suffering as normal without realising its impact on their daily lives.

1 in 3

Women affected by heavy menstrual bleeding at some point in their lives.

Around 20%

Of girls miss school or university because of period pain, which can also affect relationships, functioning and productivity.

121 Million

Nearly half of all pregnancies, almost 121 million each year, are unintended.

80%

Of perimenopausal women report lower sexual desire that can impact their relationships and self-esteem.

+50%

Of menopausal women globally are left to endure debilitating menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disturbance.

The Term “WOMEN” is used to encompass individuals who identify as women, as well as those who may not identify within the traditional gender binary but still identify with womanhood. This usage is intended to be inclusive and respectful of all individuals who identify with the experiences and perspectives commonly associated with womanhood. Bayer acknowledges and recognises the diversity of gender identities and strives to be inclusive in its language.