Jezebel: tampax

Why Don't More Celebrities Hawk Tampons?

Dodai — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:40:00 EDT

Any pearl-clutching over Serena Williams doing Tampax ads seems kind of strange when you consider that the Women's Tennis Association was sponsored by cigarettes — specifically, Virginia Slims — for 20 years.

According to The New York Times, the people at Tampax don't even care that Williams threatened to shove a tennis ball down a line judge's throat.

"We didn't ever consider dropping Serena," said Courtney Schuster, a Tampax brand manager. "She accepted responsibility and apologized for what happened, and we think that demonstrates the strength of her character."

In the '80s, Olympic gymnasts did ads for Stayfree and Tampax, but, writes, Andrew Adam Newman for the Times, "an athlete of Ms. Williams's currency and renown has never been a spokeswoman." The New York Post called the ad (seen above) "uncomfortably graphic" — maybe because, unlike other ladyproduct spots which refer to a mysterious blue liquid, Mother Nature actually uses the word blood.

But the ad is actually pretty damn funny, and shocker: Ladies bleed. Celebs have replaced models on magazine covers and shill everything from Louis Vuitton to Smart Water to Tide pens and eyelash thickeners. Why not menstruation products?

Over on True/Slant, Caitlin Kelly writes:

I love the funny, frank, playful way this ad addresses what every woman knows can be an uncomfortable or embarrassing annoyance. Not your period, but not being ready for it… Women are cool, tough, powerful. And get their periods.

Exactly! So why stop at Serena Williams? Surely Gwyneth Paltrow uses some kind of pantyliners for her GOOP. The Kardashian family must use a heap of Kotex. Where are my Angelina Jolie-approved tampon travel cases?!?!

Serena Williams's Ad Deals Survive Her Outburst on Court [NY Times]
From Bad Blood To Good $$ [NY Post]
New Tampax Ad With Serena Williams Slams Every Woman's Annoyance [True/Slant]

Changing Bodies, Changing Lives

Intern Katy — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:20:00 EDT

As part of a viral marketing campaign, Tampax has released this series of videos, in which 16-year-old "Zack Johnson" wakes up one day with "girl parts, down there." He learns to love tampons, and realize that "men are pigs." [AdAge]

Tampax has announced that it will launch...

Maria — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Tampax has announced that it will launch a group called the "MonthlyGiftClub" (as in a menstrual period is a "monthly gift") for the tween social networking community Stardoll. For those of you over the age of, oh, 13, Stardoll is basically just a really watered-down version of Second Life, where girls can create avatars and join clubs. Anyway, the MonthlyGiftClub will provide members with white clothing (taking a "visual cue" from tampon ads that signal that a brand's products are "safe and absorbent") and members can sign up to receive free samples of Tampax Pearl tampons. Sounds okay, but maybe a better "visual cue" would be to give non-members sweatshirts to wrap around their waists and eventually have one girl run to the locker room in tears after some idiot boys point out spots on her backside? [Brand Week]

Let It Bleed: A Look Back At Period-Related Advertising

Slut Machine — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:20:00 EST

Why is it that menstrual products like tampons, pads, and PMS meds are always marketed to us in the campiest way possible? It's almost as though everyone's so embarrassed about what periods really are that cheesy-ness, euphemisms, and blue liquid are used as distractions from the fact that vaginas actually, you know, bleed. (To paraphrase Alice Cooper.) Up top is an Australian ad from the '80s for Tampax with applicators, starring Naomi Watts, who bemoans all of life's hassles, particularly "that one you don't talk about." But you know how we do: We talk about it...and talk, and talk, and talk. Jeez, you'd think we couldn't get enough of our periods sometimes. Anyway, after the jump check out the gallery of vintage period commercials and print ads we compiled.

First up is a TV spot from the '80s for Always Plus Thin, that has one woman orgasmically exclaiming, "I love thin!"

This '80s Always commercial is advertising the latest innovation in menstruation: Wings.

This is actually a modern tampon ad that's probably one of the best things ever, if only because of the split the cheerleader does, with a full-on crotch shot right in front of the camera. It's for Playtex Sport. (BTW, what the fuck is a "sport" tampon?)

Here's some of that blue liquid for you, circa 1997.

Also from 1997, a Midol ad, in which we learn that "some men think strong opinions are a symptom of PMS."

About 11 years earlier, Midol's advertising was much more science-y.

Another one from the '80s, Premsyn PMS, "for the period before your period before your period."

Here's Courtney Cox in a Tampax in 1985.

From 1981, here's Tampax Plus, with "decorative packaging!"

From 1979, Playtex with deodorant.

This one might be the best of the oldies, since it features the triumvirate of feminine protection ads: Mother, Daughter, and Best Friend.

In this 1981 ad, Brenda Vaccaro managed to land herself a spokesperson deal.

And for shits and giggles, here's the SNL spoof on "Kotex Classic."

Check out this vintage Midol print ad:

From 1974, the copy reads, "Be the you he likes. Good to be around, any day of the month."

And lastly, wouldn't you kill for that futuristic Kotex outfit/box!?

Midol: So Your Boyfriend Won't Dump You [Feministing]
Kotex Gives You Wings [Vintage Ads]

Girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss as many...

Jessica — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:45:00 EST

Girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss as many as four days of school each month because they don't have the necessary supplies to staunch their period blood. As a result, Always and Tampax are launching an awareness-building and fundraising program in the U.S. and Canada to help the situation. Um, did Always and Tampax ever think that maybe just giving African girls pads and tampons would be more cost-effective than spending millions of dollars making North Americans aware of the problem? Just saying. Also, yes, this is another excuse to use that creepy anime period cartoon. [MediaPost ]

The French are always comparatively so much...

Tracie — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:45:00 EST

The French are always comparatively so much more progressive about sex and nudity and all the sort of stuff that Americans are all prudish about, so it's not surprising that this French print ad for Tampax is so in-your-face about the fact that vaginas actually, you know, bleed. Where as in the U.S., our tampon commercials warn against "spotting," the dangers of white pants, and use blue liquid to demonstrate the fluid retention of pads, this ad just puts it out there: Tampax will stop the bleeding, thus save your life. (Click tag for full-size image.) [Copyranter]