This campaign used a direct, tangible medium: Romania’s only female-featured banknote—to spark immediate public engagement with a critical social issue: access to free contraception. By redesigning the banknote and integrating a QR code that led to a petition, we created a direct action tool that put pressure on lawmakers. The execution turned currency into a medium for activism, delivering our message directly into people’s hands.
We got a historic win for reproductive rights, right after the largest increase in the Health Ministry’s budget in 15 years, the Ministry is now drafting a a comprehensive reproductive health law where free contraception will finally be included.
Case study
Context:
Romanian women haven’t had access to state-funded contraception for 15 years. Vulnerable groups, rural, low-income and young women are disproportionately affected by this gap in reproductive healthcare. Romania leads the EU in teenage pregnancies and ranks last in preventive reproductive health policies. Despite alarming data, political efforts to fix the situation has been minimal.
At the same time, female visibility is low even in symbolic areas: only one banknote features a woman: the 20 lei bill. This was the cultural insight we built on. With no budget allocated for contraception but a massive need for public pressure, we created an intervention at the intersection of feminism, activism, and economics.
The Coalition for Gender Equality, made out of 15 NGOs, launched the “Bills of Contraception” campaign to expose both the healthcare crisis and the symbolic absence of women from public life. By redesigning the 20 lei note to include a QR code leading to a petition, we used an everyday object as a manifesto for reproductive rights. The goal was to drive awareness and force government action at a critical legislative key point: when the new budget for 2025 was being discussed. The cultural and political urgency made this the right message, at the right time, in the right medium.
Idea:
The creative idea was to hijack one of the most overlooked yet powerful printed objects in daily life, a banknote, and turn it into a manifesto for reproductive rights. Romania’s 20 lei bill, the only note featuring a woman, became both a symbol and a solution. We redesigned it with a QR code linking to a petition and distributed it through public health clinics and family planning cabinets, spaces where the absence of free contraception is felt most directly.
To amplify the launch, we created a manifesto film featuring actress and activist Ilinca Manolache. The film was released online and fueled by organic impressions across press, digital channels, and influencer networks. Over 30 influencers received personalized envelopes containing the banknote and shared it with their audiences.
Without relying on paid media, the campaign used precision placement and cultural relevance to scale quickly. We adapted to real-time traction across social platforms and political developments, including heightened attention around upcoming budgetary decisions in Parliament.
The idea crossed boundaries between finance, public health, and activism. It turned currency into a tool for civic engagement, sparking engagament with the civil society. It transcended the original challenge by not only raising awareness, but actively influencing policy. The banknote ceased to be just a symbol; it became a tool for societal change.
Results:
The civil society's push for contraceptive access gained immense traction, with over 150k people signing the petition via the banknote's QR code in just two weeks. 78% of bills were scanned, unlocking 4.5M lei in symbolic funding. On average, each bill was scanned 3.2 times. The campaign garnered widespread media attention and sparked discussions on social platforms, generating 500k+ organic impressions. Over 30 influencers helped amplify the cause, with some reaching an engagement rate of 18.6% and an estimated 450k people. Support from MP Cynthia Paun furthered the cause, bringing the issue of free contraception to Parliament. The campaign's timing coincided with the new budget allocation, prompting the Ministry of Health to announce its largest budget increase in 15 years. They also announced the Coalition for Gender Equality they will start working soon on a national contraception guide and a comprehensive new reproductive health law, one that ensures access to free contraception.
