A football superstar and menstrual health are not subjects people usually connect. Yet that unlikely pairing has created one of the most talked-about health campaigns of the year. By using Erling Haaland's famous internet memes, a women's healthcare company found a fresh way to explain the menstrual cycle to men.
The campaign quickly spread across social media platforms, collecting millions of views and countless reactions. Many people laughed at the clever concept, but the message behind the humor was serious. A better understanding of the menstrual cycle can improve everyday conversations, reduce confusion, and encourage greater empathy.
The campaign was created by Dubai-based women's hormonal health company, Hiya Healthcare. Instead of relying on medical diagrams or complicated explanations, the team used well-known images of Erling Haaland to represent different stages of the menstrual cycle. His expressive reactions became an easy way to explain how hormones can affect emotions, energy levels, and physical well-being.
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The timing could not have been better. Haaland had already become one of the biggest online stars during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His facial expressions, celebrations, and humorous moments had inspired countless memes across Instagram, X, and TikTok. That popularity helped the campaign reach audiences far beyond traditional healthcare circles.
People who normally scroll past health information stopped to see why one of football's biggest names was suddenly being linked to menstrual education. Curiosity encouraged users to read the captions, share the posts, and discuss the topic with friends. That simple shift helped important information travel much further than expected.
Breaking Down The Menstrual Cycle Through Humor
Hiya / IG / The campaign focuses on the four main stages of the menstrual cycle. Each phase features a different Haaland image that reflects common physical or emotional experiences linked to changing hormone levels.
The visuals served as memorable examples rather than replacing medical explanations.
During the menstrual phase, the campaign highlighted feelings of tiredness and discomfort that many women experience. The follicular phase is characterized by rising energy and improved mood as hormone levels begin to change. These simple comparisons helped explain complex biological processes in an approachable way.
The ovulation stage highlighted confidence and increased energy, reflecting how many women feel during that period of the cycle. The final luteal phase was characterized by common experiences such as emotional sensitivity, increased appetite, fatigue, and overthinking. Each image matched the message closely enough to make the information easy to remember.
The campaign doesn’t claim that every woman experiences the same symptoms. Instead, it encouraged viewers to understand that hormone changes affect people differently. That balance between humor and accuracy helped the campaign avoid becoming just another internet joke.
Why The Campaign Connected With Millions
Haaland / IG / Many men who don't engage with menstrual education suddenly found themselves reading about hormone changes because the content featured a player they already knew.
Familiar faces make unfamiliar topics easier to accept. And the 26-year-old Norwegian soccer icon was the best option for this campaign.
Women also responded positively because the campaign acknowledged experiences that are often misunderstood. Many comments praised the effort to explain menstrual health without embarrassment or unnecessary medical language. The approachable style encouraged open discussion instead of awkward silence.
Social media played a major role in the campaign's rapid growth. Users shared the posts because they found them funny, but the educational message remained attached to every share. That allowed accurate health information to spread naturally through online conversations rather than paid advertising alone.
Many users described the campaign as one of the smartest examples of health marketing seen this year. Others joked that Haaland had delivered an unexpected assist for women's health. The reactions showed that educational campaigns can succeed when they understand how people communicate online.
Although Haaland was not personally involved in creating the campaign, his public image became the perfect vehicle for its message. His familiar expressions gave each stage of the menstrual cycle an instantly recognizable visual reference. That creative decision helped transform a health lesson into content that people genuinely wanted to watch and share.
