Dentsu Taiwan and The Awakening Foundation spotlight reproductive injustice in Taiwan

In an unconventional campaign launched last Mother’s Day, Dentsu Taiwan and The Awakening Foundation challenged norms and ignited a nationwide conversation about reproductive autonomy for women in Taiwan. The campaign, titled ‘Unfreeze my Rights’, put the spotlight on a little-known law requiring women to be married and obtain their husband’s consent to have access to their own frozen eggs.

Over the years, the number of women choosing to freeze their eggs has been steadily increasing yet over 80% remain unaware of this legal barrier. The campaign’s aim was simple: expose the absurdity of the law and demand change – and it worked.

Through a series of videos featuring courageous women speaking out on social media, this little-known but shocking issue ignited real, honest conversations among women online.

A Bold Act in the Heart of Taipei
In the bustling Xinyi District, a middle-aged woman stood on the street publicly soliciting marriage – but not for love. In a plea for help “Would you help by marrying me?” with no strings attached – no need house, no car, no feelings – just a signature of support.

The powerful street performance drew immediate attention from passers-by. A QR code invited them to scan and participate – only then did they uncover the harsh reality: that in order to gain reproductive rights, a woman is legally required to marry. This “fake proposal” cleverly exposed the absurdity and injustice of the law.

What followed was a viral wave of support: over 100 influencers and KOLs shared the message, generating 50 million impressions, with over 82 media outlets and TV programmes covering the story – reaching nearly 99% of mainstream media. Most importantly, more than 13,000 people signed the petition within just three days, tripling the original goal.

The campaign’s message spread far beyond Taipei. Within a week, The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a draft amendment to allow single people and same-sex couples to use their frozen eggs – accelerating what had previously been a long-stalled conversation around reproductive rights.

“This campaign shows the power of creativity not just to raise awareness, but to affect real policy change,” commented Alice Chou, Chief Creative Officer at Dentsu Creative Taiwan. “From strategy to execution, we followed Dentsu Creative’s belief in ‘innovating to impact’ – ideas born at the intersection of culture, craft, data and technology, to build an ecosystem of impact. We are proud to be with The Awakening Foundation in the battle for every woman’s right to define her own future.”

“For years, we’ve fought for gender equality in law and public perception,” said Edith Chou, Chair of Dentsu Taiwan’s Women Empowerment Office. “This campaign broke the silence on reproductive injustice and transformed a legal loophole into a call to action for women’s autonomy and human rights.”

What started as a satirical marriage proposal evolved into a nationwide call for action. Dentsu Taiwan and The Awakening Foundation not only educated the public about the cause but urged government officials to act.

So far, this case study has received remarkable recognition – winning the Grand Prix, 3 Golds, 7 Silvers, and 4 Bronzes at Taiwan’s 4A Awards, the Times Advertising Awards, as well as the Singular Awards. It has also been shortlisted at The One Show, Spikes Asia, Clio and global ANDYs (results yet to be announced).

Credits
Dentsu Creative Taiwan
Chief Creative Officer: Alice Chou
Senior Creative Director: Black Chen
Senior Creative Director: Rofina Tsai
Associate Creative Director: Zac Chou
Senior Art Director: ChiaHui Yu
Copywriter: Joanne Zeng
Senior Account Director: Celia Chang
Account Manager: Angel Li
Executive Producer: Sean Hung
Associate Director: Dexter Lee

Women Empowerment Office (dentsu)：
Strategy Partner, Digital Transformation: Edith Chou
Vice President, Customer Experience Strategy: Vera Cheng
Senior Researcher: Sibyl Chang

dentsu Group：
Partner, Consulting: Teresa Liu
Corporate PR Manager: Sophie Chen
Chief Consulting Officer, Sustainability: Fupei Wang

dentsu X Taiwan
CEO, Media and Dentsu X: Robin Lu
Vice President: James Chang
Associate Vice President: Richard Lee
Senior Director: Tiger Lee

Production Team：
Jile Production
Director : Wei,Hung-Chi
Ep: Wei,Hung-Chi
Producer: Yeh,Chang-Chieh