What happens when storytelling moves beyond awareness and actually changes behaviour?

For 15 years, Shuga has helped young people navigate conversations around sex, HIV, gender-based violence, stigma, shame and choice through stories designed to entertain first, and educate without preaching.

 But its impact is not only cultural.

A World Bank evaluation of Shuga found that young people exposed to the programme were more likely to test for HIV, less likely to contract chlamydia and reported reductions in gender-based violence. A subsequent cost-benefit analysis estimated that every $1 invested could generate as much as $150 in benefits.

In this episode of Sex, Soap & Alcohol, Professor Myriam Sidibé speaks with Wame Jallow, Executive Director of Shuga Global, and Victor Orozco, Senior Economist at the World Bank, about what Shuga can teach us about trust, behaviour change and the value of storytelling.

Together, they explore why seeing yourself in a story can influence behaviour, why health services and commodities still need demand generation, why storytelling remains vulnerable when development budgets are cut, and what new partnerships between governments, donors, researchers, media and the private sector could make possible.

At the centre of the conversation is a bigger question:

If a story can earn enough trust to change what people do, why are we still treating storytelling as the soft option?

In this episode

• How Shuga became a trusted youth brand
• Why character identification and immersion matter
• What randomized controlled trials can tell us about entertainment and behaviour change
• How the estimated $150 return for every $1 invested was calculated
• Why awareness is not enough without action
• Why services and commodities still depend on trust and demand
• What funding cuts mean for social and behaviour change
•  How public, philanthropic and private-sector partners could finance this work differently
• Why authentic storytelling requires creative risk
• Why sometimes you have to let the writers have their “sex and rock and roll”

Sex, Soap & Alcohol is brought to you by Brands on a Mission, helping organisations and brands achieve social impact and business growth through purpose

In this episode of the 'Sex Soap and Alcohol' podcast, host Professor Myriam Sidibé sits down with Shivam Punjya, Founder of the ethical luxury brand Behno. They discuss the transformative journey Shivam undertook to create a sustainable and ethical fashion supply chain in response to the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse. By focusing on values like worker dignity, transparency, and women's rights, Behno has successfully merged purpose with profit. Shivam shares insights from his work in India, including initiatives in worker health and women's empowerment, and delves into the unique challenges and successes of revolutionizing an industry steeped in exploitation. The conversation provides a masterclass in ethical leadership and sustainable business practices.  

In this episode of 'Sex, Soap, and Alcohol,' host Myriam Sidibé engages with Catalina Garcia Gomez, Global Director of Corporate Affairs at AB InBev, to discuss the company's revolutionary $1 billion commitment toward promoting responsible drinking. Catalina shares insights on the company's implementation of its Global Smart Drinking Goals over the past decade. These goals include investments in social norms marketing, expanding low and no-alcohol beer portfolios, testing evidence-based initiatives, and implementing guidance labels. The discussion delves into internal and external challenges, partnerships with public health experts, and the transformative impact of these initiatives on consumer behavior and the company's growth model. Catalina emphasizes the integration of smart drinking into AB InBev's core operations, ensuring sustainability and reinforcing that profit and purpose can mutually thrive. 

In this episode of the Sex, Soap and Alcohol podcast, host Professor Myriam Sidibé reflects on the inception and global impact of Global Handwashing Day, a movement that began over 15 years ago at Unilever with a simple bar of soap. The podcast features Marianne Yarrow, a PR expert who helped launch the campaign, and Janet Mbugua, one of the first ambassadors. They discuss the challenges and successes of creating a global awareness day, the importance of advocacy, and how to sustain such movements. The conversation covers their personal experiences, the branding versus authenticity debate, and tips on creating and maintaining meaningful advocacy campaigns.  

00:00 The Birth of Global Handwashing Day  
00:52 Reflecting on the Journey: From PhD to Global Movement  
01:39 Early Challenges and Breakthroughs  
03:25 Building a Coalition: The Role of Brands and Partnerships  
07:20 The First Global Handwashing Day: A Milestone Achievement  
11:56 Embedding the Campaign into Culture and Business Strategy  
13:47 Comparing Global Handwashing Day to Other International Days  
17:14 Personal Reflections: Becoming an Ambassador  
23:48 Maintaining Authenticity in Advocacy  
25:47 The Impact of COVID-19 on Handwashing Awareness  
26:40 Secrets to Sustaining Advocacy and Creating Movements  
36:29 Golden Rules for Creating Effective Advocacy Days  

Professor Myriam Sidibé, Founder of Brands and a Mission, sits down with Pascal Baltussen, Chief of Impact & Operations at Tony’s Chocolonely, to explore how a small act of journalism evolved into a global movement aiming to make all chocolate 100% exploitation-free.  

They discuss Tony’s origin story, the five sourcing principles that guide their ethical practices, and their commitment to ensuring a sustainable and fair supply chain. 

Highlighting the importance of coalition-building and impact-driven business models, Pascal shares insights on balancing commercial success with social responsibility.  

This episode emphasizes actionable steps for achieving systemic change and justice in the cocoa industry.  

Welcome to Sex, Soap & Alcohol, a podcast that dares you to unleash your inner Chief Mission Officer. Hosted by Prof. Myriam Sidibé, public health scholar, TED speaker, and founder of Brands on a Mission, this show explores how business can be a force for dignity, equity, and real impact.

In this teaser, we invite you to see how bold business models, courageous partnerships, and strategic innovation can transform trillion dollar industries from menstrual health to toxic masculinity into engines of lasting change. From boardrooms to barbershops, the stories you will hear prove that profit and purpose are not opposites they are multipliers.

This is a call to philanthropists, funders, social innovators, and every business owner to step into your power, act boldly, and join our mission to impact #TheNextBillion. Unleash your inner Chief Mission Officer and help create systems that deliver dignity and impact at scale.

Real stories. Real systems. Real change.