Kotex Thinks That Feminists Are Dumb

Commentary

Kotex Thinks That Feminists Are Dumb

By our guest blogger, Marie Biondolillo

According to the New York Times, a Kotex tampon commercial was recently rejected by three different networks, due to the fact that the word "vagina" was used in it. The spot is part of a new campaign by Kotex that seeks to satirize current feminine product advertising conventions. Instead of featuring ladies in white shorts doing gymnastics, the new Kotex ads feature ladies talking about how dumb the average tampon ad really is.

Because tampon ads are indeed stupid, many feminists are incensed over the Kotex spot not being broadcast. Feminist blogs like Jezebel and The Sexist are discussing the story with the kind of fervor that used to be reserved for deploring book banning. Kotex is doing its part to fan the flames. The New York Times quoted Kotex executive Andrew Meurer as saying, “We’re really out there and we’re trying to touch women and say we care about this conversation." Mr. Meurer went on to claim that Kotex is "changing our brand equity to stand for truth and transparency and progressive vaginal care.”

Who needs Gloria Steinem when you have Kotex? Let's get one thing straight--Kotex is not some sort of freedom fighting pro-women non-profit. It's a for-profit business that is trying to make money off women. Some bright young thing at Kotex realized that it could fool "progressive" women into identifying with the Kotex brand if they positioned Kotex as "the thinking woman's tampon."

There's no such thing as "the thinking woman's tampon," just as there's no such thing as "the manly man's toilet paper." I wouldn't be surprised if Kotex made the ad knowing full well that it would be rejected by the networks. After all, the publicity they've gotten from the ad's rejection has far outpaced whatever publicity they might have gotten from the ads themselves. By crying foul over the "banning" of the ad, feminist media commentators are playing right into Kotex's hands.

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