Reframing Menopause
QVC works to change the narrative, while meeting customer needs.
About half of the world’s population goes through menopause, and yet, until recent years, it didn’t get much attention in public and cultural spheres. For too long, people ended up navigating profound physical, emotional, and social changes with little support—sometimes even among friends. It’s an unpredictable and highly individual journey that many have felt unprepared for, even ambushed by. As a brand that reaches millions of people in their homes during times of transition, QVC, the video commerce retailer, is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of those dealing with the effects of menopause. Together with IDEO, QVC recognized and responded to the growing discussion around menopause, working to find ways to support their customers by surfacing conversations, strengthening the brand’s relationships with its customers, and curating useful products for this time of life. The ultimate goal: to reframe midlife as a time of vibrancy and exploration.
Season 2
a series focused on menopause is now in its second season
9/10 of British menopausal women say society and brands overlook them.
1 in 2 women in the UK admitted they didn’t know what was happening to them during perimenopause.
Nearly 40 percent of menopausal women are being prescribed antidepressants to help manage their symptoms, despite 4 out of 5 describing the treatment as “inappropriate.”
Menopause is much more than a biological transition—it is a profound shift that often arrives just when people experiencing it start to feel invisible. Because it has long been shrouded in darkness as an unmentionable female affliction, those going through menopause often feel unprepared and alone.
Recognizing that its customer demographic makes QVC uniquely positioned to surface conversations and provide support to those dealing with menopause, the video commerce retailer partnered with IDEO to figure out how it could not only meet customer needs, but also flip the conversation on midlife. To learn more, a team of female design researchers held in-depth interviews with folks experiencing it firsthand. The people they spoke to had limited information about what was going on with their bodies, and in some cases, it took years before they understood that symptoms they were experiencing were related to menopause. Respondents also reported that midlife brought a change in social status and the feeling of being boxed in by stereotypes.
QVC and IDEO worked together to design an integrated suite of offerings that could give customers a safe space to discover and share more about menopause. That included an on-air programming series called “Menopause Your Way,” where QVC could support those going through menopause in the privacy of their own homes, a digital landing page with useful solutions, and social media campaigns to help women share and learn more about each others’ experiences. Because people experience menopause and choose to manage it in many different ways, the team wanted to create an integrated ecosystem of content that women could access according to their unique journeys. The new offering helped QVC reach its core audience with solutions and relevant products, and created a space where menopause is out in the open and part of an ongoing conversation. And in the process, QVC evolved to become a more customer-centric company, putting its audience and their needs at the heart of its offerings.
Menopause is much more than a biological transition—it is a profound shift that often arrives just when people experiencing it start to feel invisible. Because it has long been shrouded in darkness as an unmentionable female affliction, those going through menopause often feel unprepared and alone.
Recognizing that its customer demographic makes QVC uniquely positioned to surface conversations and provide support to those dealing with menopause, the video commerce retailer partnered with IDEO to figure out how it could not only meet customer needs, but also flip the conversation on midlife. To learn more, a team of female design researchers held in-depth interviews with folks experiencing it firsthand. The people they spoke to had limited information about what was going on with their bodies, and in some cases, it took years before they understood that symptoms they were experiencing were related to menopause. Respondents also reported that midlife brought a change in social status and the feeling of being boxed in by stereotypes.
QVC and IDEO worked together to design an integrated suite of offerings that could give customers a safe space to discover and share more about menopause. That included an on-air programming series called “Menopause Your Way,” where QVC could support those going through menopause in the privacy of their own homes, a digital landing page with useful solutions, and social media campaigns to help women share and learn more about each others’ experiences. Because people experience menopause and choose to manage it in many different ways, the team wanted to create an integrated ecosystem of content that women could access according to their unique journeys. The new offering helped QVC reach its core audience with solutions and relevant products, and created a space where menopause is out in the open and part of an ongoing conversation. And in the process, QVC evolved to become a more customer-centric company, putting its audience and their needs at the heart of its offerings.
“At QVC, our strategic initiatives are those that are rooted in our core human-centered approach to retail and how we bring this to life across our various platforms. What we now know as ‘Menopause Your Way’ was born using IDEO’s design thinking method to further understand the needs, concerns, and desires of women.”
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