When The Beaver Ad appeared on my TV screen earlier this year, my housemate Ana and I fell on the floor laughing, but until I went searching for it on the internet today I had no idea how controversial it was at the time it aired. The fuss related to the use of the euphemism "beaver".
Delving into information and reflections on menstruation and women's health it's impossible to avoid euphemisms. At times I've considered starting a list of all of the ones I've heard and read. The curiosity of how they develop and the tone behind each name has a certain appeal. Some are gentle, others bizarre, some crude and demeaning, many secretive, and hundreds incredibly creative or playful.... but yes back to the topic at hand.... ADVERTISING.
When I think about Australian advertising related to menstrual products, most of them imply one of the following to me:
- Don't let your period interfere with your life.
- Keep your period a secret an unobstrusive eg. use the slimest, smallest non noticable pad/tampon.
- Menstrual blood should never ever be actually mentioned in anyway shape or form. (If I got all my sex ed from tv I think I'd expect my period to be blue!)
- All men are clueless about menstruation.
I'm not sure I like what my TV tells me.
Five ad's are reviewed at this link if you scroll down the page: The Gruen Transfer - Ad Critique
What do you think of current advertising at the moment?
To wrap up the beaver theme, on our jaunt to Ikea last week, Tim and I found this toy beaver, instantly thought of the ad and carried it around as a joke, but it was a tad too ugly to purchase and take home.