Kotex Gets Brave

This blog post comes inspired by two good friends: Lyn Falconio, a friend from when I worked at Publicis and Abbey Huret, a friend from my college days at Cornell ... both of whom separately asked me to comment on the new Kotex advertising campaign.

In a word ... BRAVE. It takes guts to make advertising this raw and insightful. Can't believe that we finally have a brand/client that is willing to call it like it is. Say the things that all of us as consumers and marketers have been dying to say for years. How refreshingly wonderful. I'm actually a bit speechless to tell you the truth. It's not that it's that hard, it's just that very few people are willing to take a chance.

For decades, advertising for "feminine hygiene" products (as we called them back in the day) was dreadful, embarrassing, and at times condescending. As a kid, it made you "leave the room mortified", says my friend Abbey. The advertising treated women as robots and their periods as joyous occasions that sadly only happen once a month. Ridiculous.

Kotex trashes those old stereotypes and stomps them into the ground. From a brand that might otherwise be considered pretty old school, I might add.

I can't even quite describe it, you have to see it for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRf35wCmzWw&playnext_from=TL&videos=fOGyLwST7C8&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh%2Bdiv-1r-2-HM

As my friend Lyn says, major kudos to Kotex for "being edgy and spot on" with how women REALLY feel. Particularly in what many marketers consider to be one of the toughest categories in the world. Trust me I know, I worked on two brands myself back when peat moss was the latest innovation! Ugh.

Certainly not the case anymore with Kotex and their new product U.

What's your experience? Jim.