How Period Advertising is Breaking Taboos & Making “Blood Normal”
Advertising teaches us that periods are a normal and natural part of life for women and that there are various products and methods available to manage them, such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups. It also emphasizes the importance of staying clean and fresh during menstruation and promotes the use of scented products, such as deodorant tampons or pads. Additionally, advertising often portrays women using products during their periods as confident and in control, suggesting that menstruation should not be a source of embarrassment or discomfort.
There is evidence to suggest that advertising is playing a role in breaking down taboos surrounding menstruation. In recent years, there has been an increase in advertising campaigns that openly address menstruation and menstrual products. This has helped to normalize the conversation around menstruation and has made it less of a taboo topic.
One example of this is the “blood normal” campaign launched by Bodyform in the UK in 2019. The campaign featured real women and real menstrual blood in their ads, challenging the long-standing tradition of using blue liquid to represent menstrual blood in advertisements. This campaign sparked a conversation about the need for a more honest and realistic representation of menstruation in advertising.
Another example is the “period positive” campaign by Always, which aims to break down the stigma surrounding periods and empower girls and women to embrace their periods. The campaign includes videos and social media posts that feature real women talking about their periods and the challenges they face.
These advertising campaigns are helping to break down taboos surrounding menstruation by making it a more open and accepted topic. They are also helping to educate and empower girls and women to take control of their menstrual health.
How Period Ads Campaign Normalizing Periods & promoting menstrual hygiene
products and helps to destigmatize menstruation by normalizing the conversation around it. It also informs consumers of the different options available to them and helps them make informed choices about their menstrual care. Additionally, advertising can also educate people on the proper usage and disposal of period products, which can help to reduce the environmental impact of menstruation. Overall, advertising plays a crucial role in promoting menstrual hygiene and empowerment.
Destigmatize menstruation and Empower women
Advertising helps to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene and the various products and services available to women. It also helps to destigmatize menstruation and empower women to take control of their menstrual health. Effective advertising campaigns can educate women on the importance of using appropriate menstrual products, such as sanitary pads or menstrual cups, and how to properly care for their bodies during their menstrual cycles.
Additionally, advertising can also provide information on how to access menstrual hygiene products and services, especially for women in low-income or rural areas who may not have easy access to these resources. Overall, advertising plays a vital role in promoting menstrual hygiene and empowering women to take charge of their menstrual health.
Always “Like a Girl” campaign:
This campaign aimed to change the negative perception of the phrase “like a girl” and empower women and girls to feel confident about their period. The campaign featured a powerful video that showed women and girls of all ages breaking stereotypes and proving that “like a girl” should be seen as a compliment.
Tampax’s “Tampax Compak” campaign:
This campaign featured a series of funny and relatable ads that showed women in everyday situations, highlighting the convenience and discreetness of Tampax Compak tampons. The campaign also featured a social media component where women could share their own period stories and connect with other women.
Kotex’s “Break the Cycle” campaign:
This campaign aimed to break the taboo around periods and educate women about their menstrual cycles. The campaign featured a series of videos and articles that provided information on menstrual cycles, common period myths, and tips for staying comfortable during your period.
Always’ “Period Emoji” campaign:
Always launched an online petition in 2015, urging the Unicode Consortium to add an official period emoji to the keyboard. The campaign was a success and the period emoji was added in 2018.
HelloFlo’s “Camp Gyno” campaign:
This campaign featured a hilarious video that depicted a young girl becoming the “camp gyno” and educating her fellow campers about periods. The campaign was a huge success and helped to break the taboo around discussing periods.
