Bodyform's new Womb Stories advert breaks every period ad taboo
Most ads for menstrual products feature someone wearing white trousers while riding a horse or playing tennis. Then some blue liquid drops onto a pad to show absorbency and that’s that.
Bodyform recently shifted that paradigm with an advert called Viva la Vulva, which celebrated the differences in our genitals in all their glory.
And they company has now gone one step further with their new Womb Stories campaign, which shows periods for what they are; messy, painful, a sense of relief, and all the rest.
The three-minute video was designed to depict the emotional accounts of periods, including endometriosis, miscarriage, infertility, IVF, menopause and even the simple decision to not want to have children.
It comes on the back of a study by Bodyform which found that two thirds of women (68%) who experienced miscarriage, endometriosis, fertility issues and menopause said that being open with family and friends helped them cope.
The same research found that 21% of women feel society wants them to keep silent about their experiences and that nearly half of women felt staying silent about their issues damaged their mental health (44%).
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Along with the campaign, they’re looking for people who experience periods to share their own #wombstories and break the silence around the often-uncomfortable parts of having a womb.
Nicola Coronado UK and Ireland consumer marketing director at Bodyform, comments – ‘With #wombstories we are starting a movement. We want to boldly go where no other brand has been before; inside women’s bodies and emotions to truly represent their sensations and feelings that we believe are not only invisible but ignored, overlooked or denied.
‘#wombstories reveals the narrative inside and out and we hope to put these topics on the table for all to talk about.
‘We believe that only once we understand women’s bodies and everything they go through; can we care for them with our period and daily intimate care products.’
The response from the public since the ad’s release yesterday has been largely positive.
‘This should be shown during sex ed about periods,’ said one person, while another said, ‘Amazing video. Amazing stories. Made me feel like I’m not alone.’
Another person wrote on social media: ‘Blown away – sharing our stories, our experiences, our LIVES. The good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly. Our wombs are amazing.’
It’s certainly a huge change from the sprightly menstruation scenes we’re so often fed, and should help those who are dealing with period issues feel less alone.
Not only that, but it shows those who don’t menstruate just how difficult it can be, and can hopefully open the channels of conversation with the people they care for.
Do you have a story you’d like to share?
Get in touch at [email protected].
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