Thinx imagines a world where men get periods
Thinx, which makes ‘period-proof underwear’, is imagining a world where both sexes get periods and nobody is uncomfortable talking about them.
Thinx ad imagines a world where men get periods
In ‘MENstruation,’ the first national TV ad campaign for Thinx, includes scenes where cisgender men talk about their periods, like where a boy tells his dad that he got his first period, a man asking a colleague for a tampon, and a teen boy dropping pads out of his locker and a girl helping pick them up.
Other scenes show a man rolling over in bed to reveal a blood stain on the sheets and a guy checking out his jeans in a bathroom mirror to make sure he doesn’t have a stain.
The tag states, “If we all had them, maybe we’d be more comfortable with them,” and concluding with a call to action for all viewers, “It’s time to get comfortable” talking about and destigmatizing menstruation.
Maria Molland, chief executive of Thinx, said of the campaign: “People with periods are taught from a young age that one of our body’s natural processes is something to be ashamed of, and something we should go to great lengths to conceal. We’re taught to hide our period products in our sleeves on the way to the restroom, and constantly check our clothes for any leaks or stains. In fact, 80% of teens [with periods] report a negative association with periods, and say they are gross or unsanitary.
“In our first national television campaign, we are imagining the answer to this question: If all people had periods, including cisgender men, would they be normalized? Would we be able to talk openly about them, without shame? Half the population does have a period, and we want to broaden the conversation to everyone, no period required.”
Said Crystal Rix, chief strategy officer of BBDO New York, the agency that created the campaign: “Our goal was authenticity and empathy. So much of the industry and culture uses ridiculous euphemism to talk about periods. We wanted an honest and sincere attempt to build understanding and empathy for people with periods.”
The national television ad campaign, directed by Rachel McDonald, will run on 18 networks across the United States.
Vote for the spot by clicking on the Creative Works box below.
