Well. Nothing gets women talking like a bit of discharge. But will it get then buying panty shields?
This ad from Carefree breaks more barriers than a Dukes Of Hazard car chase, using the words ‘discharge’ and then following up with the v bomb. Yes, that nice young lady says ‘vagina’ ON THE TELLY.
Believe me, this would not have been a careless move by Carefree and their advertising agency. It would have been researched and tested and debated, possibly for years.
Will it work? Will women admire Carefree for their woman-to-woman cut the coyness approach? Or will it backfire?
People are certainly talking.
And they are splitting into two camps – the outraged and the, ‘about timers.’
The outraged, predictably, are worried about two things – how we can explain it to the kidlets who may or may not be ready for the, ‘Becoming A Woman’ talk and the ‘Slippery Slope Towards Debauchery,’ – if we are saying the word ‘vagina,’ surely it’s only a matter of time before we SHOW AN ACTUAL VAGINA (cue vulva police) in a feminine hygiene commercial! And then where will society be?
Actually, there is a third camp, the fellas who cannot hear the word ‘vagina’ without going a bit pale and finding something else to do – at least 3km away. They are okay with the ‘c’ word and a ‘p’ word but ‘v’ has them running. Too anatomical, too medical. Interestingly, there are plenty of women running alongside them on that.
The ‘about timers’ camp is immensely relieved that finally, finally we are moving away from the ambiguity of blue liquid. They are fed up with vague promises of, ‘confidence every day,’ and rapt that healthy discharge is now part of a healthy discourse.
What do you think? Where do you sit on vaginal discharge? What words do you find offensive?
Kate Hunter is an advertising copywriter with over 20 years experience and one Gruen Transfer appearance to her name. Kate is also the author of the Mosquito Advertising series of novels – The Parfizz Pitch, The Blade Brief and The Crunch Campaign, which see a bunch of Australian kids start their own advertising agency. You can buy them here. The stories surrounding ads are often more interesting than the ads themselves and as soon as Kate thinks she’s seen it all, she sees something more dazzling or more dire than has ever been done before.
Top Comments
I am sorry there is more than 3 camps. I am in the completely unnecessary camp. Why can't this product be sold in women's magazine if there is a desire to be so descriptive, the imagination balks at discharge and odour. Overly provocative language to make their brand stand out in a crowd, surely it can do this on the products merits?
This is not liberation for women , this ad is NOT run by the suffragettes. It is marketing BS.
Its the wrong question i feel "are you offended at the word vagina" We shouldnt be labeled because we dont think tv is the right and appropriate place for bodily information and education and to break taboos. Who gives them the right to tell the public on tv about vagina functions especially when they get it wrong so often. They show they have no genuine respect for their clientele that they would do this to the female public. Is nothing sacred. This has nothing to do with using the right terminology or being embarrased it just isnt public conversation anywhere(and then to be continued to be well thought of.) It makes this company look 12 years old.