The good, the bad and the bloody in period product marketing

As marketers, why should we think a little deeper before marketing period products? 

Because half the world’s population is impacted by menstruation (we’re talking around 1.9 billion people)! And marketing has the ability to shape views around the subject, so it’s important we get it right. 

Right now, periods are still shrouded in shame. They always have been. And since menstruation remains a taboo subject, marketing has been hiding the true nature of periods on screen and in print for a long time, choosing to use coded language and images instead (think blue blood!). 

But we don’t need to let backwards societal views dictate how we market period products.

Through marketing, we have the power to influence how people perceive periods. We can reduce shame around menstruation and represent real and diverse experiences. 

Want to know what pops into people’s minds when we say ‘period product ads?’ We asked the good people of Twitter and LinkedIn. Here’s what they said: 

• Either blue liquid or women laughing while performing athletic activities 

• Roller skating and blue liquid 

• We’re all jumping around pursuing sports whilst on our periods. The use of blue water is just ridiculous. And, it seems that they think only attractive women under thirty menstruate

• They actually think we go snowboarding, running, or any other extraneous activity when our period starts. Would be nice to show a woman on the couch with a heating pad and some cookies – I'd buy!

• Young, slim and slender, white women, bouncing around in nicely fit, tight clothing, with a huge smile on their face 

So, it’s clear people who have periods don’t relate to the experiences shown in advertising. 

These unrealistic (and cringe-worthy!) ads can make it difficult for younger people to understand what’s normal. Is everyone else playing sports and having a ‘happy period’ in their whiter-than-white outfits? Nope. Is everyone bleeding blue blood? Definitely not – so why are marketers putting out these weird messages?

People want to see their experiences on the screen to feel the product is right for them. The truth is menstruation affects people differently. Sometimes, they’re accompanied by a sigh of relief, at other times searing pain – there is no one way to experience a period. 

Here are some figures that show we need to reconsider how we’re representing periods: 

• 62% of people agreed that women’s health wasn’t spoken about enough 

• 44% of women said their mental wellbeing had been impacted since they’re not able to openly share experiences around issues including miscarriage, fertility and periods 

• Callaly commissioned research that showed 66% of people didn’t feel they were represented in the media when it comes to periods 

We can look at period product brands such as Ohne to understand where marketing for period products is heading. As Glamour say about Ohne: “there’s no blue liquid in place of red blood, there’s no women dancing through fields in white dresses, and there’s no pink. it’s a real depiction of real women, in all their shapes and sizes, and all their glory.” 

Women are loving Ohne’s real and honest depictions of periods. But there’s even MORE Ohne could do too. 

You’ll notice they call their audience ‘babes.’ Oh no, Ohne! ‘Babe’  is a gendered word. Marketers need to think beyond female representation. We need to start thinking in terms of ‘womb representation.’ The truth is, not every person that bleeds identifies as a woman! 

Asda, for example, have thought about womb representation, and have renamed their ‘femine hygiene product’ aisle ‘period products.’ This doesn’t exclude people that don’t classify themselves as feminine, and at the same time, it states what the products are loud and clear, without an ounce of shame! 

So, if you’re ever going to market period products, step away from the questionable blue liquid. And let’s safely assume most women aren’t digging out their roller skates. Agreed? 

If you want to build a genuine rapport with your audience and make them feel as though you “get” them, let’s talk inclusive marketing. Drop us a message.