Ruling to ban tampon advert condemned as ‘ridiculous’ and a ‘disgrace’

A decision to ban a tampon advert from running from television in Ireland in its current format has been branded “ridiculous” and a “disgrace” by critics, who say it provides useful information about how to use the sanitary product.

Earlier this month, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) published a ruling on a Tampax advert following 84 complaints.

The advertising body stated that the complainants made claims that the advert caused “general offence”, that it was “demeaning to women”, that it included “sexual innuendo” and that it was “unsuitable” for children who may be watching television during the daytime.

The advert in question featured two women on a pretend talk show, with the host explaining the importance of ensuring a tampon is inserted correctly so as to avoid discomfort, in addition to demonstrating how the tampon’s applicator works.

The host states that if a person can feel their tampon, “it might mean your tampon is not in far enough”, adding: “You gotta get ‘em up there girls.”

In its ruling, the ASAI stated that several of the claims, including the notion that the advert is demeaning to women, contains sexual innuendo and was unsuitable for daytime television, were not upheld.

The watchdog upheld the claim that the advert caused “general offence”, stating: “The committee noted that the advertisement, although light-hearted in nature, provided factual information in a manner that was neither explicit nor graphic. They did not consider that the advertisement had caused grave offence.”

However, they added that they also noted “the level of complaint that had been received and the concerns expressed by complainants about the advertising and considered that it had caused widespread offence”.

In conclusion, the ASAI said: “The advertising should not run in the same format again.”

Several Twitter users expressed their anger and disappointment over the decision, with one stating that the decision “makes a taboo of women’s bodily functions”.

A GP expressed her concern that banning the tampon advert “reinforces the misplaced idea that menstruation is something not to be talked about”.

“Ridiculous that a tampon ad which was responding to gaps in knowledge was banned,” one person said.

“Probably the most useful advert I have ever seen concerning period products. How about we grow up?” another remarked.

Another GP stated that she regularly notes “a total lack of education about women’s bodies, sexual health and the basics of what is a normal menstrual cycle on a weekly basis”.

“It leads to delayed diagnoses, unplanned pregnancies, lack of body confidence and independence. This is a ridiculous decision,” she added.

Another Twitter user emphasised that having periods if “perfectly natural” and shouldn’t be regarded as a “sensitive topic”, adding that in her opinion, the decision made by the ASAI is “an absolute disgrace”.

Someone else tweeted that her daughter, who is in her teens, told her that “this is the first tampon ad that actually taught her how to use the product”, while another person said: “Looks like we haven’t actually progressed at all if we can’t talk about putting tampons far enough enough so that they are comfortable.”

Following the publication of the ASAI’s decision, the chief executive of the organisation defended the ruling, saying that the number of complaints “would indicate that it has caused widespread offence”.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Drivetime programme, chief executive Orla Toomey said that in the past four and a half years, “there have only been seven ads that have had more than 60 complaints made about them”.

“We don’t have an objection at all to there being educational type ads for any product. And certainly not for tampons. But it is about how it is done and the content and the context and the way it is done,” Ms Toomey said.

“And in this case, even some of our complainants were positive about the fact that there was an educational message but they didn’t like the way the message was delivered. I think that’s part of the issue.”

In a statement sent to The Independent, the ASAI said the decision it made on the advert “was based on a number of issues – mainly that the level of complaint received and the concerns expressed by complainants showed that the advertisement had caused widespread offence”.

“While there were a number of other issues raised that were not upheld, when the number is 80+ it is evidence that the advertisement has caused, for the purposes of the Code, widespread offence,” the watchdog said.

“While the advert delivered an important educational message, advertising should not cause grave or widespread offence. Therefore, in the circumstances, we found that the advertisement had breached Section 3.16 of the Code.”