If you can't talk about periods without using euphamisms...

[Peikko 1,575]

For years, advertising for tampons and "sanitary products" have been shrouded in nebulous euphemism. So what happens when a US tampon-maker drops the coy messaging and goes straight for the jugular (so to speak)? Its ad gets banned by the major US television networks for mentioning the word #######.

Even when the company substituted "down there" for #######, two of the networks still wouldn't run the ad, so the company was forced to drop the idea altogether. That provoked Amanda Hess, author of The Sexist blog, to observe: "Now, the commercial contains no direct references to female genitalia – you know, the place where the ###### tampon goes."

An executive for Kimberly-Clark, the owner of Kotex, notes that US TV networks have no such compunction about references to "erectile dysfunction" in prime-time ads for Viagra and Ciallis.

The New York Times reports that the campaign – produced by the advertising agency JWT, part of WPP – for tampon brand Kotex was "a bit too frank" for US television:

Merrie Harris, global business director at JWT, said that after being informed that it could not use the word ####### in advertising by three broadcast networks, it shot the ad cited above with the actress instead saying "down there", which was rejected by two of the three networks. (Both Ms Harris and representatives from the brand declined to specify the networks.)

"It's very funny because the whole spot is about censorship," Ms Harris said. "The whole category has been very euphemistic, or paternalistic even, and we're saying, enough with the euphemisms, and get over it. Tampon is not a dirty word, and neither is #######."

The amended ad shown above, "How do I feel about my period?", has a series of images parodying the stock images used in sanitary product advertising, and concludes: "The ads on TV are really helpful because they use that blue liquid, and I'm like, oh, that's what's supposed to happen." The ad debuted on US television this week.

Things are different in anything-goes Britain, where the makers of the Mooncup product have a website entitled loveyourvagina.com.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Why do they need to mention the word #######? They're not advertising how to use it, just what it's for.....protection when a woman is on her menstrual cycle.

[mawilson 2,133]

Why do they need to mention the word #######? They're not advertising how to use it, just what it's for.....protection when a woman is on her menstrual cycle.

Because it's such a dirty word! #######!!!

[Empress of Groovy 373]

I really think Stayfree should bring back the meadow. I miss the meadow. It was so easy to make a connection between cramping and bleeding, and meadows. Now it's all so confusing.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Geez, that's hilarious. People need to get a grip.

Personally, I would have been more crude than #######

I'm not a fan of network censorship at all for the most part. I was a huge fan of how NYPD Blue and how they pushed the limits of the FCC. Wish more shows would do that and radio too without the worry of being fined out the butt.

[Peikko 1,575]

Geez, that's hilarious. People need to get a grip.

Personally, I would have been more crude than #######

I'm not a fan of network censorship at all for the most part. I was a huge fan of how NYPD Blue and how they pushed the limits of the FCC. Wish more shows would do that and radio too without the worry of being fined out the butt.

Indeed they do.

[Gemmie 142]

I saw this on the Tyra Show... I think it's so stupid that they're not allowed to use the word/s.

FYI, research shows that 1- people are OK with saying '#######' but not '#######' and 2- women who use the word '#######' are more body-confident and have higher self-esteem. I talk about things as they are with my friends and family.

[Fandango 1,439]

But I *love* twirling in slow motion in white spandex on day 3!

Btw, this censorship is the best thing for their campaign....

[CDAgirlMI 51]

For the yeast infection commercials...(I can't remember now), but don't they use the word "vaginal" as in "vaginal cream" or "vaginal infection"?

[Empress of Groovy 373]

For the yeast infection commercials...(I can't remember now), but don't they use the word "vaginal" as in "vaginal cream" or "vaginal infection"?

Maybe it's OK if a soft-voiced woman says it really quickly, in its adjectival form.

[Calypso 464]

Because it's such a dirty word! #######!!!

What makes it a dirty word? Do not confuse ####### (it's internal) with vulva or external genitalia. Even so, the external genitalia isn't dirty as long as it's washed at least once daily and has no STI.

[scandal 951]

I like beer commercials. Especially ones with sexy girls showing off their good bits.

They draw a very simple straight line --

1. If you buy this beer,

2. And you drink it,

3. You can bang this girl.

Men like straightforward no-nonsense advertising like that. It reflects how we actually think.

[Calypso 464]

I like beer commercials. Especially ones with sexy girls showing off their good bits.

They draw a very simple straight line --

1. If you buy this beer,

2. And you drink it,

3. You can bang this girl.

Men like straightforward no-nonsense advertising like that. It reflects how we actually think.

Smart scheme for beer commercials.

I've heard that beer ad models are shemales or transsexuals. Oh, I remember that you like kathoeys anyway.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

For years, advertising for tampons and "sanitary products" have been shrouded in nebulous euphemism. So what happens when a US tampon-maker drops the coy messaging and goes straight for the jugular (so to speak)? Its ad gets banned by the major US television networks for mentioning the word #######.

Even when the company substituted "down there" for #######, two of the networks still wouldn't run the ad, so the company was forced to drop the idea altogether. That provoked Amanda Hess, author of The Sexist blog, to observe: "Now, the commercial contains no direct references to female genitalia – you know, the place where the ###### tampon goes."

An executive for Kimberly-Clark, the owner of Kotex, notes that US TV networks have no such compunction about references to "erectile dysfunction" in prime-time ads for Viagra and Ciallis.

The New York Times reports that the campaign – produced by the advertising agency JWT, part of WPP – for tampon brand Kotex was "a bit too frank" for US television:

Merrie Harris, global business director at JWT, said that after being informed that it could not use the word ####### in advertising by three broadcast networks, it shot the ad cited above with the actress instead saying "down there", which was rejected by two of the three networks. (Both Ms Harris and representatives from the brand declined to specify the networks.)

"It's very funny because the whole spot is about censorship," Ms Harris said. "The whole category has been very euphemistic, or paternalistic even, and we're saying, enough with the euphemisms, and get over it. Tampon is not a dirty word, and neither is #######."

The amended ad shown above, "How do I feel about my period?", has a series of images parodying the stock images used in sanitary product advertising, and concludes: "The ads on TV are really helpful because they use that blue liquid, and I'm like, oh, that's what's supposed to happen." The ad debuted on US television this week.

Things are different in anything-goes Britain, where the makers of the Mooncup product have a website entitled loveyourvagina.com.

Wonderful for Britian. You know where it is, right? How to get there? What are your suggestions for toilet tissue ads in the USA? ####### and feces are not dirty words either. How much more colorful our toilet tissue ads could be if they stopped shwing cartoon bears rubbing the tissue on their FACE! Gee...I hope people can figure out what it is really for.

For my part, I especially enjoy Ukrainian menstrual products ads...such as the one where the cop pulls over a woman driver and the woman goes hysterical. The cop asks "What is YOUR problem?" To which she takes her Kotex maxi-pads from her shopping bag and begins pelting the cop with them..."THIS is my problem!!!!" How 'bout it Cleo? Realistic enough for you?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

What makes it a dirty word? Do not confuse ####### (it's internal) with vulva or external genitalia. Even so, the external genitalia isn't dirty as long as it's washed at least once daily and has no STI.

Wow. Really? I never knew that. You mean I could even touch it and my fingers won't fall off or turn black or something? Who would have thought that particular piece of skin would be just as harmless as any other piece of skin? What a concept.