It was branded “disdainful”, “extremely offensive” and “vulgar” and generated 600 complaints – but the advertising watchdog has found an ad campaign showing menstrual blood in an Australian TV first did not breach the industry’s code of ethics.
Asaleo Care, which makes Libra pads, ran two ads depicting menstrual blood during primetime TV as part of the #bloodnormal campaign, which showed women having their period in the shower, at a dinner party, at school and during sex.
The advertising arbitrator Ad Standards received more than 600 complaints about the nature of the ad, including one which suggested the ad “appeals to pedophiles to see young girls in this manner and is exposing to young females and extremely dangerous for a young girl”.
The complaints mostly revolved around the use of blood in the ads. Source: Supplied
Another complaint stated: “It is completely inappropriate at any time of day, for any audience, especially children. My wife was even offended by it”.
Another wrote to the Ad Standards panel saying they found the ad “absolutely offensive and degrading”.
“To show the blood flow and blood splattering everywhere. This is not on!!”
Ad Standards dismissed all of the complaints, finding the Libra ad did not breach any advertising standards.
“The Panel considered that the depiction of blood in the context of an advertisement for feminine hygiene products is not against prevailing community standards on health. The Panel noted that the depiction is an accurate presentation of a real physical occurrence,” the panel decided.
“The Panel noted that there are no violent scenes in the advertisement and considered that the amount of blood depicted in the advertisement is not excessive or disproportionate. The Panel considered that the depiction of blood in the context of the advertisement for feminine hygiene products, while not normally shown is advertising this type of product, is justifiable in the context of an advertisement for such products.”
The advertising standards body dismissed all of the complaints. Source: Supplied
As part of the determination, Asaleo Care responded that it had carried out extensive research before going ahead with the campaign.
The company said it tested the advertisement with 500 women aged between 16 and 65, with 62 per cent of those survey stating that “periods are just a normal part of life”.
“They shouldn’t be ignored by mainstream media (e.g. films, TV). This was even more true of women aged 18-29 years old with 67 per cent of them agreeing with this statement,” the company said, in its response.
It was an Australia-first to depict red blood in feminine hygiene ads, moving away from the often lampooned "blue dye" depictions.
According to Asaleo Care, women told the company the ads helped break down the taboo and normalise periods.
“Periods are normal and nothing to be embarrassed about. It`s ridiculous that TV censors showing period blood. Workplaces should be more flexible around women working from home if on their period,” one woman said.
“It’s empowering for all women and a great advertisement that periods shouldn’t be a taboo subject,” another said.
