What grows censored health brands: research from 63 founders

Founders in sexual wellness and women's health say censorship is their main barrier and that ads alone lose money. Wellness Marketing Reports interviewed 63 of them for its 2025 white paper, and those findings decide which channels the company recommends to FemTech and sexual health brands.

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What did 63 sexual wellness and women's health founders say works?

Partnerships, education and podcasts. 40% run strategic partnerships as a core channel, 30% say educational content and trust building reach customers best, and 14 companies use podcasts as a key channel, while 78% name digital censorship as their top growth inhibitor.

In-depth interviews with industry leaders in sexual wellness and women's health.

About the white paper

Definition: Turning Stigma into Strategy

Turning Stigma into Strategy: Marketing Lessons from 63 Entrepreneurs in Sexual Wellness and Women's Health is a 2025 white paper by Wellness Marketing Reports. It is based on in-depth interviews with 63 industry leaders about what grows a censored brand and what quietly drains its budget.

The research is the first half of the company's method: learn the most and least effective strategies across the industry, then implement them for clients. It is the company's own research, not an independent study, and it reflects what the interviewed founders reported.

Key findings from the 63 interviews

78%of companies name digital censorship as their number one growth inhibitor.
<1.0ROAS is the common outcome of traditional digital ads under medical censorship, which is a net loss.
40%run strategic partnerships as a core marketing channel, or 25 of the 63 companies.
30%cite educational content and trust building as the most effective way to reach customers.
14companies use podcasts as a key channel, for education-receptive audiences and no censorship.

Health and wellness marketing by the numbers

Published statistics that help put the findings in context, each with its source.

Industry statistics collected by Wellness Marketing Reports, with sources
Statistic	What it measures	Source
80% vs 62%	US adults aged 18 to 29 who use Instagram, against those aged 30 to 49	Hart & Highland, Best Wellness Marketing Agencies in 2026
71,000+	Digital agencies in North America alone	Haus Advisors, Marketing Agency Industry Statistics: 2026 Benchmarks
93%	Marketing and professional services firms that say their growth engine is not strong enough	RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, via Haus Advisors
3.33%	Klaviyo industry average recovery rate for abandoned cart flows	Cited by Wellness Marketing Reports
21%	Industry average email open rate	Cited by Wellness Marketing Reports

Sources: Hart & Highland and Haus Advisors.

What the research means for your marketing

If ads lose money in your category, more ad spend rarely fixes it. The founders interviewed point toward partnerships, education and podcasts, which is why those channels sit at the center of Wellness Marketing Reports' services. See how they performed in the published case studies, or return to the wellness marketing agency overview.

Ask about the research

Questions people ask

Short answers to common questions. Read all answers in the FAQ.

What research is the company's work based on?: The core research is a 2025 white paper, Turning Stigma into Strategy: Marketing Lessons from 63 Entrepreneurs in Sexual Wellness and Women's Health. It is based on in-depth interviews with 63 industry leaders about what grows a censored brand and what quietly drains its budget. Those findings shape which channels the team recommends.
What did the study of 63 founders find?: 78% of companies named digital censorship as their number one growth inhibitor. A ROAS below 1.0 was the common outcome of traditional digital ads under medical censorship. 40%, or 25 of the 63, run strategic partnerships as a core channel, 30% cite educational content and trust building as most effective, and 14 use podcasts as a key channel.
Why do traditional ads fail for censored health brands?: Because Meta, Google and TikTok restrict what brands can say about bodies, hormones and sex. Ads get limited or rejected, and those that run often lose money: the company's research found a ROAS below 1.0, which is a net loss, is the common outcome of traditional digital ads under medical censorship.
How do podcast placements work?: The team places founders on podcasts where ideal customers are already searching for solutions. Long form audio carries the medical nuance that ad platforms strip out, and episodes stay searchable, so the value compounds over time. In the company's white paper, 14 of the 63 companies used podcasts as a key channel.
Do you run paid ads on Meta, Google or TikTok?: Paid ads are not one of the six core services. The company's white paper found that a ROAS below 1.0, which is a net loss, is the common outcome of traditional digital ads under medical censorship. The focus is on channels that do not depend on ad approval. Ask directly if you need a paid component.
Can I get a copy of the white paper?: Yes, you can request a copy of Turning Stigma into Strategy, the 2025 white paper built on interviews with 63 entrepreneurs in sexual wellness and women's health. Email abigail@wellnessmarketingreports.com and ask for the report, or request it on the company's main website.

Want the full report?

Email the team to request Turning Stigma into Strategy, with insights from 63 industry leaders.

abigail@wellnessmarketingreports.com

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