An ad from period and leak-proof underwear brand Modibodi, which normalises menstruation by using the colour red to represent blood, has been banned by Facebook for being "sensational".
Modibodi’s latest campaign, The New Way to Period, was recently launched in a bid to end the view that periods are "gross" or shameful, in addition to heralding a new more sustainable approach to managing periods.
After three reviews by Facebook’s policy team, the 60-second film has been barred for advertising use for violating guidelines regarding shocking, sensational, disrespectful or excessively violent content.
YouTube had also initially banned the ad but later rescinded the decision following a review and the commercial is also running on regional free-to-air and subscription TV.
Facebook has indicated for the film to be used for advertising, three offending scenes which use the colour red to represent menstrual blood have to be edited out.
Modibodi CEO and founder Kristy Chong says Facebook’s decision is outdated.
“Our aim for this film was to open people’s minds by taking the stigma out of what is a perfectly natural bodily function for women. It was not made to be deliberately sensational or provocative, but to show the very real and natural side of periods," says Chong.
“We’ve used red to represent blood from day one and The New Way to Period shows the real side of menstruation and that there are better options available than eco-damaging disposable pads, liners and tampons.
“It’s the twenty-first century and it’s disappointing Facebook doesn’t want to normalise the conversation around menstruation. We also note that other media platforms have not taken the same direction as Facebook."
Facebook's ad policies prohibit advertisers from including content in their ads that implies personal attributes or sensational content – this includes direct or indirect assertions or implications about medical conditions including physical or mental health.
One of the ads was disallowed because of the language it was using: “Did you ever have to do the under-desk pass – you know, when asking a school friend if they had something for you when your period came unexpectedly? Feels embarrassing even now, doesn’t it?"
Facebook says its Sydney based team have been working with Modibodi and its creative agency Emotive to review the ads and advise on what changes are needed to allow them on our platforms.
It advised the Modibodi team to use language that is central and factual to the product and remove the user from the focus.
Facebook Australia and New Zealand director Naomi Shepherd says while the video is allowed through Facebook's free channels, the company has higher standards for what is allowed on its platform when it comes to advertising.
“I love the video that Modibodi has created to normalise periods, encourage discussion, and promote their underwear range. The full 60 second video is available to view on their Facebook page and Instagram account," Shepherd said in a statement to AdNews.
"Our community standards outline what is and isn't allowed on our free services, however, when it comes to ads on Facebook we have a higher set of standards for what content can be included in an ad.
"Our advertising policies are more restrictive because they take paid distribution to appear in people’s personal News Feeds and clearly state that ads must not contain text or images that may shock or that focuses on someone’s personal attributes, including their physical or mental health condition.”
This isn’t the first time Modibodi has experienced backlash for its representation of periods.
While the brand has its supporters, throughout its history Modibodi has also encountered people who see period underwear or even the mention of periods on a public forum as unacceptable.
Many have expressed their dislike with comments such as ‘disgusting’, ‘filthy’ and vomit emojis.
“From the very beginning, I was repeatedly told we'd need super glamorous models to make supposed unmentionable topics (menstruation and incontinence) tolerable to Australian women and the media," says Chong.
“I refused to believe this was the only way we could have a presence in the market and from day one we've sourced customers or everyday women from diverse backgrounds to help model and sell our products."
In 2019, Modibodi conducted a pop-up tour across Australia to showcase its product range and demonstrate how Australians are embracing change.
“After a handful of complaints from the general public some of the pop-up venues demanded that we cover our ‘leak proof undies’ signs," says Chong.
"We also had a number of radio advertisements pulled from the air in 2019 after a small pool of listeners complained that the topic wasn’t appropriate for mainstream media."
Shot and directed by award-winning Sydney-based director Dani Pearce, the script for the film follows the journey of multiple women, each with their own nuance and story as they embrace the new way to period.
Creative agency Emotive was recently appointed as the global creative agency for Modibodi and led the campaign strategy.
The New Way to Period film launched on September 16 and is being shown across multiple platforms including regional free to air and subscription TV, connected TV, digital and out of home media, and Modibodi’s own channels.
Modibodi is running 27 active ads on Facebook as at 8pm Sydney time, September 29.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.