How the tampon industry is teaching us important marketing lessons

In a world where menstruating women have historically worn white spandex and run on the beach, some tampon brands have made a significant shift in the way they market their products to women. The new trend is a more reality-based approach from brands like Kotex, Bodyform and HelloFlo that not only mocks traditional tampon marketing, but also creates, through longer-form content, an honest dialogue between women about the dreaded Aunt Flo coming to town.

Kotex’s latest integrated campaign, titled “Reality Check,” is a parody of traditional tampon commercials with lines like, “When I have my period, I like to touch really soft things and twirl in slow motion.” It’s part of a bigger initiative, “Break the Cycle,” that integrates user-generated content in the form of personal stories, as well as social experiments that dispel period myths.

Bodyform recently used content marketing in an interesting and successful way by responding to a Facebook post with a hilarious video that quickly went viral. They created a fake CEO who came clean and apologized about the flagrant use of euphoric, menstruating females skydiving and horseback riding. The video was successful not only because Bodyform responded in real-time to an unsatisfied consumer, but also because the response was clever and strategic.

The newest brand to try this marketing strategy is HelloFlo, a menstrual cycle care package company that created a sweet and funny video to introduce the company. The online video “Camp Gyno” tells the honest story of a girl who gains popularity at summer camp by using her period knowledge to educate fellow campers until the girls find HelloFlo.

The shift in how tampon brands tell their story could be a direct result of a more honest and informed consumer. These days, consumers can spot a sales pitch a mile away. Trying to pass off tampons as a way to have a joyful and serene period just isn’t working anymore. By being frank and honest with women, these brands are creating more credibility and likeability with their target audience.

So what does this mean for your brand? Take a look at what advertisers are collectively saying about your industry and try to tell the story in a different way. Let your freak flag fly. Embrace who you are. Get to the point. Most importantly, be real. Consumers will appreciate your honesty and start trusting what you say.