How Tampax Offended Ireland (Apparently)

Last week, a Tampax advert was banned in Ireland after the ASAI said it caused “widespread offence”. Imagine being offended by a TAMPON. Let’s watch, shall we?

As my ma would say, “Some people are while easily offended”.

Now, if this ad was banned for being corny, cheesy or for the bad acting, I wouldn’t really mind, because let’s be honest here, it’s not great is it? But, no, it was removed because of 150 complaints about the following:

The phrases, “You gotta get ’em up there girls” and, “not just the tip, up to the grip” were deemed “vulgar”; “disgusting” and “grotesque” – which is exactly the sort of language that’s creating the problem in the first place. How is explaining how to use a sanitary product “vulgar” or “disgusting”? And who even says “grotesque” anymore?

The thing is, we hear this language constantly (well, apart from ‘grotesque’). We’re told, “Periods are disgusting” or they’re “vile”. Referring to a NATURAL bodily process as in this way is a lot more disgusting than the actual process. Like, do you think people CHOOSE the pain, discomfort and hassle of periods?

We also hear things like, “No one needs to know about or hear about your periods” whenever they’re mentioned. But, there’s a reason it’s on the Biology and LLW syllabus, isn’t there? We’re taught about it in school when we’re like 10, like it’s not exactly a big secret that people menstruate. So, why are we expected to have to hide that we do? Sneaking pads and tampons into the toilets; trying to open the packaging quietly or wait until someone flushes the toilet and then use that to hide the sound; using “code words” like “the time of the month” or “I’m on my thing“. People shouldn’t have to feel embarrassed or like they’re doing something they shouldn’t be – bleeding.

Some complainants felt that the ad “belittled” those who menstruate and “implied that they may be ignorant when it came to the matter of using tampons”. But, I’m assuming that’s why Tampax made the ad? Like, I’m guessing they did market research and found that people were using tampons incorrectly? And that’s why they’re showing people how to insert them properly? The whole point of this ad is to show people how to use tampons so you can’t feel them and they aren’t uncomfortable; so people must think they’re uncomfortable; which means they’re not putting them in completely right.

A lot of ads ‘state the obvious’: you get shampoo ads showing you how to wash your hair, soap ads showing you how to wash your hands, toothpaste ads showing you how to brush your teeth – how is Tampax’s ad “belittling” and implying ignorance but these ads aren’t?

Basically, it all comes down to the fact that the comfort of 150 complainants is apparently more important than those who have to experience the discomfort of wearing tampons 🙂 Dead on.

The fact that periods are still a ‘taboo’ and ads which are more detailed or specific about menstruation or sanitary products are removed really just shows how we’re made to feel shamed or embarrassed about something we can’t control. Periods happen every single month for like 30 years for most people. So, stop pretending they don’t exist. I mean, people who experience periods probably wish they could, but not even ibuprofen does that.

This is an advert which is educational, which is potentially helpful to loads of tampon-users or pad-users who find tampons uncomfortable, but no, 150 people decided it wasn’t appropriate so it had to be removed. 150 people in a country with a population of 6.7 million. Compare that 150 to the number of people who actually need and use these sanitary products.

What about people starting to menstruate who haven’t a baldy what they’re doing and are too scundered to ask their mas? Would YOU ask your ma? Didn’t think so. What about people who use tampons incorrectly and end up getting Toxic Shock Syndrome? Sanitary hygiene and health is a BIT more important than some people’s nerves.

This ad is educational, informative and helpful. And even if it wasn’t, there was still nothing wrong with it. People shouldn’t have their bodies, body parts and natural processes shamed, called disgusting or be deemed too “inappropriate” for TV. Don’t like the ad? Switch over. Fast forward. Use an ad blocker like the rest of us. At the end of the day, you’re the problem, not the topic, and not the ad.