Much hoopla over the recent Bodyform/Libresse ad from AMV BBDO purporting to show real menstrual blood (historically depicted in blue in ads) – although, as one YouTube comment says, it’s probably really red liquid.
Bodyform/Libresse owner Essity says it’s trying to “break down taboos.”
Here’s the long online version, with a rather strange intro.
We’re all in favour of breaking down taboos although taboos for some are other people’s perfectly reasonable conventions.
Does showing more, or everything, necessarily advance a cause? In this case changing attitudes to periods.
The BBC’s new Series Gunpowder, about Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the early 17th century, has aroused ire for showing an unfortunate catholic being pressed to death and a priest disembowelled. It’s been widely criticised for glorifying in gore and cruelty. Wonder if they’d been watching Game of Thrones?
The Beeb says this is what actually happened (as it did) but do we need to see it all? Heaven knows what it’ll be like when the government torturers get their mitts on Fawkes. Wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some hasty re-editing in progress.
So there’s a line in all these things. In the case of Essity and AMV’s campaign they seem to have walked it deftly, an AMV trademark. Doubtless there’ll be some people saying they should have gone further.
MAA creative scale: 7.
