In hardly surprisingly news, Libra’s new #BloodNormal advertisement has copped a barrage of complaints, crowning it this year’s most complained-about ad. Ha.
Per Mumbrella, Ad Standards said it had received over 600 complaints about the ad about people bleeding. Again, ha.
Here’s the longer version of the ad.
Well I think Libra did a fab job.
But people were very upset to see menstrual blood during peak television viewing hours. Oh no! People were also very concerned about their kids and sons seeing the ad. Oh no! Quelle horreur!
Complaints included the words “appalled”, “offensive”, “degrading”, “confronting”, and “explicit”.
Fucking hell.
You know what’s offensive? Waking up in the morning with a spot of blood on your sheets after you just changed them, because you forgot to stock up on overnight pads. The worst.
Ad Standards ended up dismissing all of the complaints. One read: “Bodily secretions shouldn’t be shown on TV ads. I wouldn’t expect a toilet paper advertisement to show faeces on toilet paper, or an advertisement showing nasal secretions for tissues.” Neither are stigmatised, one even has its own emoji but go off mate.
Another somehow linked an ad normalising periods to attracting pedophiles. Ad Standards just straight up shot down this complaint. Also, all the women in the ad are over 18.
For the record, the ad did receive a ‘P’ rating which means it’s allowed to be on telly at all times except during children’s and preschool programs.
In its response, Libra cited statistics that found 3 in 4 Aussie woman believe there is a stigma surrounding periods. Hence the ad.
Libra said the ad is “encouraging women, men, boys and girls (with guidance from their parents) to imagine a world where women and girls don’t have to hide anymore, where there is no shame attached to changing your pad in a toilet, asking for a pad at a dinner party or carrying your pad without hiding it.”
To conclude: Ad Standards said the ad did not breach the Code of Ethics and chucked the complaints in the bin.
