Periods are always something to be ashamed of. Meant to be hidden away and never talked about. Periods are asking for black polythene bag at the store and wrapping it in paper so that no one can tell you are carrying sanitary pads.
Periods are not something to show off basically. But perhaps the worst are sanitary napkin ads. The way they completely gloss over the actual reality of a period in favour of showing this utopian version is not something we need.
Sure it is pretty great that they break the stereotype that women are weak and useless during their period cycles or ‘time of the month’ for polite society, but one reality they forgo is actually showing the bloody side of it.
Periods are bloody, both literally and figuratively, so when sanitary ads show very conveniently some type of blue liquid or even worse water to show the durability of those pads it is just cheating the customer.
However, times are slowly changing and this brand called ‘Bodyform’ is the first one to take a revolutionary step.
Read More: Goddesses’ Periods Being Celebrated In India At Ambubachi Mela
Show Us The Blood
The brand Bodyform has just come out with a new advertisement for their sanitary pad and while it is not anything of news, they are the first ones to actually use blood instead of water.
Almost every sanitary pad advertisement wants to show how absorbent it is and how long it can last since that is of the utmost importance. But where for years these ads have been showing an acceptable ‘blue liquid’ as an alternative to blood, this ad by Bodyform has broken through those barriers.
The ad begins with a person pouring a vial of blood on a Bodyform sanitary pad, it then shows a man buying a pad packet from a convenience store and it even has a shot of a woman taking a shower while on her period, you can clearly see the blood being washed down her leg.
The tagline to this advertisement is: ‘Periods are normal. Showing them should be too.’
In just a couple of frames, this one ad has shown us more than any other flowery and washed out sanitary napkin advertisement has ever done.
They seem to have spoken out about 2 issues that menstrual blood is not something for the screen and that men cannot buy a sanitary napkin.
As reported by news sites, the marketing manager at Bodyform, Traci Baxter, commented on this by saying: ‘We know that the ‘period taboo’ is damaging.
‘It means people are more likely to struggle with the effects of period poverty, whilst others struggle with their mental health and wellbeing.
‘As a leader in feminine hygiene, we want to change this by challenging the taboo and ultimately removing the stigma, making it even easier for anyone to talk about periods, now and in the future.
‘This is exactly the reason why we launched #bloodnormal.
‘We believe that like any other taboo, the more people see it, the more normal the subject becomes.’
She also said that: ‘We remain committed to showing periods in everyday life, truthfully and honestly – because we feel it’s the right thing to do to. Together, we can help make blood normal.’
Why This Is A Great Step
There are various reasons why finally showing blood on a sanitary napkin is great for women. One is that it shows the actual durability and absorbent nature of the pad.
You must understand that menstrual blood is extremely different from the ‘blue liquid’ largely used in such commercials. It is thicker, more in quantity has sometimes clots too and other differences in texture.
The ‘blue liquid’ cannot capture all that properly and thus cannot really prove how absorbent a pad truly is.
This campaign also works to normalize period and period blood and that is not something to hide or be shamed.
Image Credits: Google Images
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