By Tanzila Shaikh

Do we say periods aloud or are we still using different words like - Mushkil Din, Moon cycle, etc to shy away from talking about menstruation? While periods are still a “Taboo” subject in many parts of the country, conversations have started being normalised.

On May 28, the world will celebrate the joy of being a woman with World Menstrual Hygiene Day, but do we really showcase this joy or is it layered under much jargon? The advertising of brands in the menstrual hygiene segment has come a long way right from not mentioning the word ‘Period’ to showing the colour red, trying to show the real colour of period blood, making #bloodnormal.

According to Menstrual Hygiene brand Whisper and UNESCO data from 2021, 23 million girls drop out of school due to the lack of menstrual hygiene and awareness. The reports also state that out of a total of 40 crore menstruating women in India, less than 20% use sanitary pads. In urban areas, this number only goes up to 52%. This indicates that nearly half of even urban-based women use unhygienic methods for period protection, making them vulnerable to health issues.

( https://youtu.be/SbysExjIERM)

A  look at the above advertisement from the year 1986 is proof of how far we’ve come as an audience, as well as an advertiser, to talking about menstruation and normalising it among our peers. 

Whisper was the first brand to show a sanitary napkin on television with Renuka Sahane, the star of the long-running TV series ‘Surabhi’ in 1993 and mention the word "periods" in advertising.

“When Whisper wanted to advertise in prime time, TV channels thought a sanitary pad was an inappropriate product to advertise in a prime-time slot. We got special permission from the authorities and became the very first sanitary pad brand to advertise on prime time on Indian TV in the early 90s,” said Akhil Meshram - Senior Director, Category Leader Feminine Care, Indian Subcontinent at Procter & Gamble.

Read the full story here:- https://bestmediainfo.com/2022/05/mushkil-din-or-are-we-ready-to-say-periods-openly