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There's a Pad Commercial That Shows Real Blood

Have you ever seen a commercial for pads or tampons? If not, allow us to paint a picture for you.

Usually, there is an unnervingly smiley woman, mysterious blue liquids being spilled on pads to demonstrate absorbability (seriously, what is that blue stuff?), and possible frolicking in daisies with vaguely coded terminology like "for that time of the month" and "nobody will even know." It's all very fantastical, very discreet, and very removed from reality considering what the product is actually for.

Until now, that is. U.K. brand Bodyform is taking action to change the advertising convention.

Instead of using questionably colored liquids or slow-motion montages to sell pads to women, Bodyform kept things real by using period blood itself. We know—the gall! Their new ad shows a woman having period blood drip down her leg and men buying pads without comment (because seriously, it's pretty much the smallest deal ever). It all ends with the message, "Periods are normal. Showing them should be too."

Preach, Bodyform. Preach! Thankfully, this openness isn't a one-time thing.

Bodyform created the commercial as part of its #bloodnormal campaign, which is working to make talking about periods and the products that surround them less taboo. You might remember another one of their commercials—appropriately titled "Blood"—from last year, when it got attention for featuring female athletes with sports injuries and the message "no blood should hold us back."

All we have to say about that is finally. Keep doing your thing, Bodyform.

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Martina Birk

Update: 2024-05-07