Tampax tampon ad pulled off the air in United Kingdom and Ireland - The Lily
peter.suber's bookmarks 2020-08-10
Summary:
"The ad is straightforward and free of the menstrual advertising tropes that we are so used to. There are no euphemisms, no dancing around the subject matter at hand, no blue liquid. Just clear, simple directions designed to improve the experiences of using tampons.
The ad was inspired by Tampax research, which found that 42 percent of tampon applicator users were not inserting tampons correctly with that figure climbing to 58 percent among those aged between 18 to 24.
But on May 18, Liveline, Ireland’s most popular call-in radio show, took a number of calls from listeners who found the ad “vulgar” and objected to the slogan. One woman described it as “brash and disgusting and unnecessary” and threatened to not pay her television license fee next year. Another said the ad “crossed the line of decency.” On social media, people complained about the ad airing during family-friendly television shows like “Britain’s Got Talent.”
Earlier this month, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) said that it had reviewed the ad after receiving 84 complaints. Complainants argued that the ad was demeaning to women, unsuitable for children and laden with sexual innuendo.
The organization’s Complaints Committee found the ad had caused “widespread” offense and ruled that the advertisement “should not run in the same format again” while also acknowledging it “provided factual information in a manner that was neither explicit nor graphic.”
Tampax confirmed that the ad will no longer air on Irish television....
Many say the move simply reinforces the stigma around menstruation. Others have drawn parallels to 1944 when Archbishop John Charles McQuaid, a Catholic figure known for exerting influence over many Irish governments, noted his disapproval of “unmarried persons” using tampons.
Fiona Tyrrell, chair of the Irish Family Planning Association, described the ASAI as being “shockingly out of step with prevailing attitudes to sexuality in Ireland.” ..."