Branding Win: Monistat Isn't Afraid to Talk About Yeast Infections

When watching ads for “intimate” and “sanitary” products, you may notice a trend: while it’s perfectly OK to discuss erectile dysfunction and other problems exclusive to the male gender, distinctly feminine problems like menstruation, breast exams or the dreaded yeast infection don’t get a lot of attention. Ad and media execs tend to be “grossed out” and back away despite the fact that 3/4 of women experience candidiasis at some point in their lives–which means there’s a huge market for related products.

Here’s an example: each of the major networks refused to air this Ogilvy Kotex commercial because, according to Adweek, they just couldn’t handle the word “vagina.”

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in