Me Instrua!
Brand & Packaging design concept for a Brazilian NGO focused on fighting period poverty.
Tasks
Brand Identity
Research
Illustration
Creative Direction
Social Media Design
Packaging Design
Timeline
Sep 2021 - Nov 2021
Context
Me Instrua! is a concept for a Brazilian NGO focused on tackling period poverty and raising awareness about menstrual health. The name Me Instrua! is a Portuguese wordplay: it echoes menstrua (to menstruate) while literally meaning “teach me.” That double meaning reflects the project’s purpose — practical support plus clear, accessible education.
The idea was to create a brand and visual system specifically aimed at younger people, mainly those aged 14 to 24, who are often the most affected. Even though the NGO wasn’t officially established yet, I treated this as an opportunity to design something both practical and appealing, a visual identity, packaging, and program approach that could make a real impact.
Goals
I started by clarifying what this project needed to achieve:
Raise awareness about menstrual health among young people aged 14 to 24.
Reduce stigma and make conversations about periods feel normal and safe.
Combine product access with education so that interventions actually help in schools and communities.
Create an illustration-forward identity that young people want to share.
Challenges
There were a few clear hurdles I had to navigate. By framing these challenges early, I could focus on solutions that were both strategic and realistic.
Social stigma and cultural taboos make it hard to have open conversations about menstruation.
Research
I started the research because I needed to be sure this idea would actually help people on the ground. I reviewed Brazilian studies, a recent national review, policy updates and program reports, and a handful of local initiatives to understand both the scale of the problem and the practical barriers to delivering help.
A major review even frames period poverty in Brazil as a public health emergency, which made it clear this was not just an awareness problem but a structural one. The literature and local studies repeatedly pointed to three practical gaps that mattered for design: unreliable access to menstrual products in schools and communities, inadequate facilities and privacy for managing menstruation, and limited age-appropriate education for adolescents and young adults.
Those findings confirmed what I suspected from the start: Me Instrua! had to do two things at once. It needed to get reusable pads into people’s hands, and it needed to make it simple and safe to learn how to use them.
So my research drove practical choices. Because many of the people affected are young and mobile, I prioritised short, visual formats and an illustration-led identity that would be easy to share. And because exclusion fuels shame, I designed the reusable pad packaging and on-pack language to be explicitly inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations so anyone who needs them feels welcome.
Ideal Personas
To guide design decisions, I created three personas based on research and insights from Brazilian contexts:
Luana, The Student
Luana is 17 and lives in the periphery of Recife with her mother and two younger siblings. Her mother works informal jobs with unstable hours and limited income.
Luana goes to a public school where bathrooms are crowded and offer little privacy. She sometimes misses class during her period because she does not always have reliable access to menstrual products.
Mariana, The Yound Activist
22 years old, social sciences student in São Paulo. Lives in a shared apartment. Active in feminist and environmental groups. Confident speaker and organizer.
Mariana organizes campus outreach events. She needs ready-to-use visual assets and toolkits to engage peers without spending too much time creating materials.
Rosa, The Community Coordinator
38 years old, NGO community coordinator in Salvador. Single mother of two. Balances paid NGO work with volunteer organizing. Pragmatic and empathetic.
Rosa manages local programs and needs practical, low-cost materials that volunteers can use easily. She values clarity, simplicity, and measurable results.
Final Design
From the beginning, I wanted the brand to feel friendly, approachable, and empowering, without being childish. Two parts needed special attention: the logo set, which would act as the project's visual ambassador, and the packaging for the reusable pads, which had to be functional, inclusive, and easy to distribute.
Every design choice was guided by the personas, research, and the practical constraints of a real-life NGO
Logo set and mascot
Primary logo
The main logo is a simple but full of character wordmark. The bold sans-serif letterforms help the brand to feel approachable and are easily readable at small sizes.
Alternative logo
For larger formats, the alternative logo introduces to the wordmark Me Instrua! a mascot: a small drop of blood drawn in a cute old cartoons style. With rounded shapes, big friendly eyes, and a welcoming smile. The style nods to classic silhouettes while keeping everything soft and modern.
Secondary mark
A simplified acronym icon for tiny spaces, such as favicons, app icons, and sticker stamps.
Visual and emotional intent
The old cartoons style makes the subject less clinical and more human, which helps invite conversation. The mascot is intentionally nonbinary, with neutral details and inclusive expressions, so everyone feels represented.
Color plays a big role. The mascot uses a warm red family for recognition, balanced by soothing neutrals and a contrasting accent color, so it reads well in both playful social posts and serious informational material.
Packaging for reusable pads
I designed three versions of packaging to match real world use cases. Each pack is visually related so users instantly understand they are from the same program, but each has clear visual cues to show intended flow level and care instructions.
Daily pack — low flow
A compact pouch sized for everyday carry. Includes two small reusable pads. Visual cues use a soft pastel and a single filled dot on a simple flow icon so the pack is instantly recognisable.
Medium pack — medium flow
A slightly larger pouch with two standard reusable pads, the same washable pouch, and a brief FAQ about care and change frequency. The colour is a bit deeper than the daily pack and the flow icon shows three filled dots for quick identification.
Night pack — heavy flow
A larger pouch or roll with two long night pads built for overnight use. The palette is vibrant and clear, and the flow icon shows four filled dots.
Common across all packs
Each pack uses similar illustrations, layou and typography so they read as one program. Packaging language is short and inclusive, with pictograms for washing and low-water care tips suitable for limited privacy and WASH constraints.
Brand applications
To give the visual identity life beyond print and packaging, I explored simple, low-cost brand applications that help build community and support fundraising. The mascot and the illustration-led system translate naturally to everyday items and shareable social posts, so I focused on merchandise people would actually want to keep and share, plus social templates that encourage engagement.
Merchandise
I designed a small, cohesive merch range that feels useful and grassroots friendly, and that keeps production simple for small runs.
T-shirt
Soft organic cotton tee with the mascot front and center. Comfortable, gender-neutral fit. Why it works: wearable merch spreads awareness and gives supporters an easy, visible way to show solidarity.
Pins
An wnamel pins featuring the mascot for subtle, everyday visibility. Why it works: low cost, easy to distribute at events, great for donors and ambassadors.
Stickers
Weatherproof stickers for laptops, water bottles, and community noticeboards. Why it works: stickers are cheap, highly shareable, and perfect for youth audiences.
Tote bag
Lightweight tote with inclusive messaging next to the mascot. The messaging reads: "Menstruation without complications. No more taboo! Project Me Instrua!". Why it works: practical for everyday use and doubles as a small mobile poster for the cause.
Key Takeaways
The Outcome
I’m genuinely proud of how Me Instrua! came together. The identity feels warm and lively without being childish, the mascot makes a tricky subject feel human, and the packaging and assets are practical enough to actually work in the field. Most importantly, the project keeps the real people in mind, especially young people like Luana and coordinators like Rosa, so design choices weren’t just aesthetic exercises but solutions to real problems.
Next steps
Pilot the three pack prototypes in two community sites. Observe real washing and drying practices, then iterate the materials and instructions.
Build a one-page volunteer cheat sheet that fits inside every pack and lets a volunteer explain use and care in three minutes.
Prepare a lightweight volunteer onboarding kit and a small distribution playbook that local partners can reuse.