Usually its the least offensive packaging or the price that makes me chose one brand of tampons over another. The advertising is so uniformly awful, I cannot usually associate one embarrassment of riches with a specific brand name. If there are any marketers reading, can you please explain why you expect women to believe they can attain freedom from the ‘tyranny’ of a bloody gusset by purchasing a specific wad of cotton wool? Which apparently has magical powers. As upon insertion, the wearer will be overcome by the desire to wear white trousers and frolic on the beach or go horse riding in flower-filled meadows. And what’s with the idea that menstrual blood is somehow too filthy for anyone to actually see and must replaced with a nice clear blue liquid? (nb: it’s pretty much the same as blood from other sources). Also why is it that no tampon or sanitary pad ever in the history of the world ever mentions the word vagina (you know, where the fucking tampon goes)?
Anyway, walking through Victoria Station last week I was struck by a stunning image of a triangle of flowers labelled ‘Lady Garden’ with www.loveyourvagina.com underneath. Since then I have seen others for coochie, and vajayjay. The print ads are beautifully designed, as is the website. It’s all the work of Mooncup. The safer, greener, cheaper alternative to tampons. A mooncup is a reusable device made of soft silicone that collects menstrual blood. They are very comfortable and have none of the toxic shock syndrome risks of tampons. And they are not just for vegans with nose rings and grunge punk converse sneakers: you don’t get jungle crotch from mooncups.
And then, just like buses, along comes Kotex with this ad. Sadly, in deliciously mocking the tradition condescending euphemistic bullshit of old, Kotex had to change the original script as it was rejected by three networks for invoking the word ‘vagina’. So please don’t be afraid to watch it. There are no seizure inducing direct references to female genitalia.
Research statistics compiled on behalf of the brand indicate ‘vaginally-aware women’ are more likely to have a positive body image (40% vs. 31%) and to be satisfied with their level of self-confidence (64% vs. 43%) and ability to express themselves (76% vs. 55%). In the same survey, 70% of women said they wish society would change the way it talks about vaginal health, but less than half feel like they can do anything about it.
Welcome to 2010.
Comments
So those things aren't to stop bloody noses in zoo gorillas? I'd never have known since there is no mention of the 'v' word… ;)
i've not seen the ads, however i do love my mooncup. been using one for years (before any fancy marketing campaigns – i bought mine on recommendation from a sister-in-law).only now that i use one of these do i really feel like i can safely ride horses wearing white trousers whenever i like and never need fear blue liquid dribbling down my legs.tally ho!
Hear hear Sas and Leonie! xSkeeter
i feel fresh as a daisy just reading all this feminine hygeine talk.you rock it every time, woman.xx
I watched that ad (twice!) and loved it. Years ago I took part in a community production of The Vagina Monologues and I am always so proud that I did. I performed the part about the vagina workshop and how I was afraid I had lost my clitoris, like it was some kind of jewel one could drop into a stream and never see again.
My mooncup is not to be trusted for the first two days, certainly if I wish to wear white trousers.
Oh this post made me laugh, although I am too scared to click on any of the links as I am reading this at work and so will have to check them out at home.I HATE the advertising for pads and tampons. They are either cheesy or just plain ludicrous. There is a terrible advertisement here at the moment that I keep meaning to post on my blog. It consists of a guy who has decided to stick winged pads all over himself (including the sides of his head) whilst home alone and act like a character from Star Wars. Of course, his girlfriend and her parents arrive home and awkwardness ensues.Oh and another brand refers to that "hot and stuffy" feeling you get, and then shows a little cartoon depiction of a fan next to a pad. Yes, a fan in my pants. That is precisely what I need.Idiots.
Any tampon that is scented insults me. Oh, and the Mooncup? Tried it (it's called the Diva Cup) here. Taking it out was like a scene from "Carrie."
Yes, quite. :)There again, how bodily-aware do you want to be? People make fun of toilet paper ads (the Andrex puppy being an obvious target), but do you actually want to see them demonstrated with human faeces? Not really, even though it’s a perfectly natural thing to defecate, and perhaps we shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, and would be more self-confident if we could talk crap all day.
Divacup for the win; sadly they're not yet mainstream in Australia, nor readily available (ebay to the rescue, there is a good person out there selling packaged-perfect environmental health). Yes, there is gore upon removal. That's why we wash our hands, ladies.
Ummm, I think I will stick with my box of tampons with the one red flower. A reuseable blood catcher is just freaking me out, almost as bad as the tampon with out a string.
Weeping with laughter at Libby and Heather. Please God, or at the very least, tampon manufacturers: enlist all the above women (and blokes, if they're game) to write your next advert. Believe me, it'll be a hit.
@PurestGreen – I loved the Vagina Monologues. I loved the cunt song :)
@natasha – all i can think of is fannies (i know, not big or clever).
I have been using a Mooncup for a good six months now. Since I've used it, I've had less in the way of cramps, my periods are shorter and I now realise, having seen how much blood is lost, why I might not feel like skydiving or doing anything other than vegging on the couch with tea & a stack of DVDs! As might be apparent, I think they're an ace invention and I'm really glad to see them advertising.Am sitting here chuckling over the idea of that kind of advertising in good ol' Ireland – think the world might come to an end! :oD
I would also like to add that I have *considered* putting the contents of my mooncup in the compost bin but cannot quite bring myself to do so.
vagina vaginavaginaps i used divacup for years and my roses were very grateful (that is in the times during my monstrous cycle that i could be arsed taking a bucket to the loo with me to empty my lovely blood into) – i have stopped now because of cervix problems… cervix cervix cervix – actually that has a much more respectable ring to it…
three letters. i u d. I haven't had a period in years and even if that is a bit odd, it makes me quite happy.
Sas, I love the new look on here! Wow!
And I also have a Diva (Moon) Cup and have never looked back. I can verify the absence of jungle crotch :P It really took away the whole taboo thing for me and made me feel better about being a healthy woman with a healthy woman’s body, doing what it is meant to do.
xx