Have you seen the new Bodyform advert?

[Fairenuff]

Just that really. Sorry if there's already a thread.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/bodyform-s-new-advert-breaks-period-advertising-taboos/vi-BB16hTmF?ocid=msedgdhp

I think the fact that it is for a commercial purpose is irrelevant. The Sistine chapel and great cathedrals and much of western historic art was made because of religious patrons. Nowadays the patrons are businesses selling a product, but great art can be produced nonetheless. Maybe Bluewater and the Trafford Centre are the Westminster Abbey and Sagrada Familia of the future.

Ok that sounds over the top written down, but you get my point.

I cried. I think it is a great advert. Well done Bodyform.

I have had that fucking condom wearing dildo ultrasound too. Bled early in pregnancy and because I have endometriosis they wanted to rule out an eptopic pregnancy. Until I had that I never realised they rolled a condom over it.

Like Honey I have also had the laparsocopy to diagnose endo (after a shit load of drugs to "manage" the condition), the camera goes in just below the belly button and the other two wounds to the sides are for the instruments to lift and poke around inside.

Honey I have found wearing a TENS machine really helps bring the pain level down, from a labour comparable pain to bearable one. Just a suggestion.

It just winds me up that loads of people have said that this ad will make them buy the product

Have you seen all the companies that we've had to boycott? There's a list of them somewhere.

Spending power is one of the ways that women can express their appreciation/disgust at the way they are treated.

Especially in today's climate where we can't actually say the words without fear of losing our jobs and receiving rape and death threats.

So it works both ways. I am more than happy to buy products that I buy anyway from any company that acknowledges that women are different to men because of their biology and that women have different issues and needs to men because of their biology.

It really is that simple.

Likewise I will vote for any party that acknowledges the same and takes steps to protect women's sex based rights based on their biology that is different to men.

I will vote with my feet and my purse. So if other companies want to get on board, I will spread my spending power to them too.

You would think it would matter in a recession wouldn't you. Time for companies to decide who their target audience really is.

Such is the terror at the moment, Bodyform may yet fall, who knows. We shall have to wait and see.

Bloody brilliant (pardon the pun)

I've just emailed bodyform to thank them too.

Yep, brilliant. Well done Bodyform! Presumably they are braced for the hurt feelings tsunami?

It just winds me up that loads of people have said that this ad will make them buy the product as I just feel that making an ad isn’t really supporting women and they feel like their job is done.

Obviously their Ad didn't work for you, and I expect other women will feel similarly.

However, I'm happy if they just sell sanitary products and treat their staff fairly.

People buy things for all sorts of dubious reasons. I don't think Lloyds bank really cares about horses, but I like their horse ads (although I suppose that didn't really work, because I bank elsewhere). I'm just happy that they did this and didn't do something about roller skating or pretending that everyone has periods.

But the scan had me had crying like I haven't cried in years for my missed miscarriage in my first pregnancy after never expecting to be able to get pregnant.

That's where I started crying, too. Brilliantly powerful bit of film.

I use reusable towels now but always buy disposibles for the food bank and will be buying bodyform from now on.

What an absolutely brilliant idea, Grabthar. I use reusables too & I’m nicking it.

I will also buy them for the food bank, fantastic idea.

Blimey. Think I preferred the roller skating hotties :)

I get it, this is looking at reality. Felt a bit like a horror film though.

Anyone my age who can hear the word Bodyform without going 'woaaaaaaaaah Bodyform!' complete with eighties hair tossing obviously didn't own a telly. Well done Bodyform, it's great. I suppose.

Wow!!!! Love this.

Also I just looked up the credits and the ad was created by a man!

So?

I will throw money at any company that acknowledges women’s biology and that it isn’t all sparkles and rainbows. There are so many I’ve had to boycott, I want to financially reward those that do not capitulate to angry men.

And I’m not so daft as to turn away from anyone who wants to share real women’s stories, purely because of their sex.

Incredible advert.

I loved it. I'm going to share it on facebook for my friends in all stages. The sneeze and floodgates and the woman being fanned for the sweats brilliant,
I'm glad that Bodyform is my Dd's prefered pad now, has been for years.

At a time when agreeing with the idea that women's issues exist can get you sacked, it is a relief that they aren't carefully pretending that nobody knows who gets periods.

This. Whether or not I personally like the video, this aspect is good.

And yet..,for those who say "Look out for the onslaught", any TRA objectors would be outrageously and transphobic misgendering the characters in the ad. How do they know what the characters identify as? Maybe the patient having a scan is a transman in a trans-hetero relationship, and the couple having sex are in a trans-lesbian relationship.

I really like the advert. Of course they are trying to sell more product, but with people/organisations currently being shouted down/threatened/abused for simply wanting to preserve women’s rights - I think they have firmly nailed they’re colours to the mast, it can only be a good thing. I think they’ve been watching and listening.

@Dhalmeup

Also I just looked up the credits and the ad was created by a man!

So?

I will throw money at any company that acknowledges women’s biology and that it isn’t all sparkles and rainbows. There are so many I’ve had to boycott, I want to financially reward those that do not capitulate to angry men.

And I’m not so daft as to turn away from anyone who wants to share real women’s stories, purely because of their sex.

Absolutely this & I think it's great it's been created by men as well as women.

It's about time people more people pointed out that really the Emperor is naked & 'not wearing new clothes'

Georgie thank you I'm currently on mirena and the mini pill and so my periods have stopped as well as pain. It's tough to manage mentally but I've avoided antidepressants so far. Went to a very dark place when we started this combo but it smoothed out enough for me to manage it.

Airplanes I had the hormone blocking injections in my mid 20s too. Bled twice as often but pain was less. Not sure if that was a success of not but as soon as the course finished it was business as usual.

[quote Randomfires]@Fairenuff you’re right it is good that we can see ads that represent women and don’t shy away from our stories.

It just winds me up that loads of people have said that this ad will make them buy the product as I just feel that making an ad isn’t really supporting women and they feel like their job is done. I’d like to see them doing something practical to support women’s issues/ causes considering we’re the whole customer base! Saying something is a start. Doing something is better[/quote]
They have a website where they give support to women.

www.bodyform.co.uk/our-world/

They’re not being complicit in the manipulation of language, to the detriment of women and nowadays, that’s to be applauded. It’s a fucking disgrace, that it is even ‘an thing’, that women should have to consider if the word woman is used in reference to adult human females.

How can I contact them not on Twitter? Their website just has a very generic contact is form is there a better address I can use?!

I count myself very lucky to know the people who created this ad, I shall let them know that it has gone down extremely well with Mumsnet!

I cried...well sniffed. I have a small child next to me on the sofa so I couldn't have the sound on.

I identify with every situation .....this is me

I don’t find my womb or having periods traumatic. This seems to implicate everyone does
Me neither but I understand others do and there was plenty in there I could relate to - making the choice to avoid pregnancy, my period starting when I've got something planned, the floodgates opening when I sneeze

I loved the refrain in the song "who made you?" Every damn person on this planet including the misogynists, the ridiculous TWAW wokesters and the gay couples who think they have the right to buy a surrogate child owes their very existence to a woman with a womb.

As a woman who is currently going through the (literal) pain of miscarriage I thought it was a wonderful video. The scene with the doctor's face changing is one many of us have sadly experienced. I think it was a very brave scene to include and honest to women's experiences. I'm now crying and eating chocolate cake.