This Isn't Your Mother's Feminine Hygiene Ad
When it comes to feminine-hygiene product advertisements, we tend to see a lot of superfluous humor, as well as images of women twirling in white, flowing dresses. And while these ads are obviously entertaining, it’s rare — with the notable exception of 2013′s “Hello Flo” genius, or the more recent plastering of no-holds-barred Thinx posters in the New York City subway system — to find one that’s at all inspiring or different. But now a new video joins the growing field of standouts.
Bodyform, a U.K.-based maker of pantyliners and maxi-pads, recently released an empowering commercial that places the idea of bleeding in a whole new light. The ad shows women pushing forward through their own physical limitations while boxing, swimming, surfing, doing ballet, and playing soccer, all while nursing oozing cuts and bruises. The message — “no blood should hold us back” — is clear, and is one of many newer ads that are replacing the woman-running-through-a-field scenarios that have forever plagued networks.
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This new launch was created as part of Bodyform’s Red.Fit campaign and is a partnership with U.K.-based universities to educate about menstruation and its effect on women’s bodies. “Women are perceived to be too complicated or variable to study, resulting in ambiguity and a lack of understanding,” explained Bodyform in a Twitter announcement explaining why it had created the ad.
“Bodyform just made the first commercial where girl blood isn’t clinically blue liquid. Go Bodyform,” tweeted one viewer. Another supporter, this time a man, said, “thought I’d never tweet @bodyform — what a great ad.”
It’s wonderful to see evolution of knowledge surrounding women and their periods, as knowledge, after all, equals power. See the full advertisement above.
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