For decades, advertising for feminine care products like tampons and pads shrouded itself in an eerie, incessant positivity while also basically trying to ignore every reality of menstruation.
Advertising has evolved in many ways since, but it was only in 2017 that a major marketer in this space began to bring realism and candor to discussions of periods. The #BloodNormal campaign for Essity (the parent company behind global brands like Bodyform and Libresse, but not well known in the U.S.) introduced not only red blood instead of the alien blue liquid preferred by TV ads but also depictions of small daily realities like period sex and men shopping for tampons.
The campaign, winner of the Glass Lion at Cannes, made Essity one of the most-watched marketers on Earth, and agency partner AMV BBDO didn't disappoint with its visually phenomenal 2018 follow-up, "Viva La Vulva."
Now Essity and AMV BBDO are back and continuing to take audiences places that almost no other brand will go. Their new long-form spot, "Womb Stories," uses a blend of animation, visual humor and visceral heartbreak to cover the infinite range of experiences women can have over their lifetimes through the lens of periods, sex, pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, menopause and more.
As with many marketers that get attention for pushing boundaries, Essity is having an effect on its competitors as well. It will be interesting to see how this influence continues.
Which other categories need a wake-up call to stop hiding behind faux positivity or dumb metaphors and just be honest about why their products are used each day?
Let me know your thoughts at the email below or at @Griner on Twitter.
We'll be pausing our daily newsletter for a few days to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but look forward to being back with you next week!
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com
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