Last week, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland banned Saatchi & Saatchi New York’s Tampons & Tea commercial for P&G brand, Tampax, ruling that the commercial had caused widespread offence based on the relatively high number of complaints made about it. The number of complaints was 84.

The ban did exactly what the ad hoped to achieve. It got people talking about a topic that 84 people in Ireland plus some don’t want anyone to talk about.

The ASAI is now considering a review of the ban.

Meanwhile, however, TBWA\Dublin has taken a stand against the ban. The agency has created its own brand of Irish Lady Products, in light of the complaints made by members of the public and a commercial that features a parody tampon pack with warnings that the product may cause “pearl clutching and disapproving glances”. The idea came from a frank video chat discussion among staff about the ASAI decision and what it says about the treatment and censorship of women in Ireland.

Blaise Hoban, copywriter at TBWA\Dublin commented, “The team felt we needed to take a strong position and add our voices to the discussion – both as members of the Irish advertising community and as a collective committed to gender equality.”

https://youtu.be/JZdVRdBuBJ8

The original commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0LpyXMnjg

Credits

Agency: TBWA\Dublin

Senior Account Manager: Aoife McCarthy

Creative Directors: Dillon Elliott & Clayton Homer

Art Director: Conor Marron

Copywriters: Matthew Moss, Blaise Hoban, Kerry Mahony

Social Media & Content Specialist: Amy Tumelty

Motion Graphics Designer: Mark Murray