Mars Period Products

Mars is a gender-neutral period product brand designed especially for kids and teens. In creating Mars, I was able to unite my playful design style with my passion for inclusive design, period justice, and queer rights. Although this brand is currently just a concept, it is a response to a real problem that needs to be solved. In America, puberty is starting earlier than ever, and the amount of
children who identify as transgender and nonbinary is increasing every year. This growing demographic is being overlooked. Many transgender boys are uncomfortable using the flowery, pink “feminine hygiene products” that are currently on the market. Mars aims to tackle this issue by creating period products that are more fun and less embarrassing, whether you’re a boy, girl, both, or neither!

I chose the name Mars for several reasons. First of all, it’s the Red Planet. I wanted red to be a big part of this brand, since the stigmas around the color red and menstruation are clearly linked. Secondly, Mars is a symbol of masculinity. This is rooted in Roman mythology, where Mars is the god of war and Venus is the goddess of love. I liked the idea of turning this stereotype on its head. A reference to masculinity in the brand name, though subtle, can be comforting to transgender boys. Mars also has connotations of being powerful, proud, and fearless—all qualities that subvert the current language around menstruation, which encourages us to be quiet, scared, or embarrassed. Finally, with the name Mars comes outer space imagery, which
is playful, unlike any other period products on the market, and appealing to young people (and adults for that matter) of all genders.

The Mars logo uses a custom, hand-drawn typeface to create a sense of playfulness and childlike expression. The rounded letters are soft and inviting while subtly referencing outer space. The rocketship icon uses the same rounded corners and adds upward motion, indicating progress and power. The color palette contains muted versions of the primary colors, which is a classic choice when marketing to children. Using a limited palette of six colors ensures consistency and brand recognition while still having enough variety to create a range of outer space graphics. For the typography, Sofia Pro Soft’s rounded edges pair well with the Mars logo and evoke a sense of approachability. The relatively high x-height and single-story a and g make the font feel less serious and more like handwriting. Its counterpart Sofia Pro is a highly legible sans serif that is perfect for body copy.

To bring Mars to life, I created a range of brand collateral which encompassed packaging design, textile design, and website design. I illustrated six space-themed repeating patterns that were printed on fabric and manufactured into period underwear. Some of these patterns were also adapted to become wrappers for pads and tampons. Additionally, I designed the boxes for five sizes of pads, three sizes of tampons, and three sizes of menstrual cups. As a way to save paper, the menstrual cup boxes unfold after opening to show instructions for use. Finally, the website mockup I created in Figma displays detailed images of all the products, and more information about the exhaustive research that went into this brand development. Please feel free to explore the Mars website using the link above!