The Evolution of Commercializing Periods: A Shift From Embarrassment to Understanding
The concept of tampons can be traced all the way back to the ancient world. Egyptian women would use papyrus. In Greece lint was used; Asian cultures used paper; Italy had wool at dispense; Native Americans used herbal remedies (History of Feminine). Different cultures views on menstruation varied but they all had one common theme–women become immobile for a week out every month. Women of all cultures and backgrounds were forced and sometimes shamed into menstrual segregation. It isn’t until the invention of the tampon that women are able to completely take a hold of their lives. However, the invention of tampons can only be understood through the lenses of commercialism that contributes to the promotion of convenient feminine hygiene.
The evolution of effective feminine hygiene products is not seen in America until the first commercial sanitary pad hit the shelves in 1896. Johnson & Johnson called this new disposable pad ‘Lister’s Towels Sanitary for Women’ and was made from cotton (Inside). But a reoccurring theme was that women did not want to be seen buying sanitary towels, so in the 1920’s Johnson & Johnson coined the term Nupak. This product was packaged very plainly with only the name ‘Nupak’ on the cover so that it would not stand out as being used for feminine use. As a way for women to buy feminine hygiene products at drugstores without having to ask aloud, Johnson & Johnson devised the ‘silent purchase coupon’ for their brand Modess (Margaret). This coupon read “one box of Modess, please” and was handed to the sales person without any words exchanged (Inside).
As a sanitary protection enters the flapper age, a new campaign called “Modernizing Mother” was started to promote Modess. This was made up of a series of advertisements that appealed to a younger generation by exploiting the differences between the young and wild flappers from their traditional mothers. The message was to show young women that these sanitary products are not your mothers but your own. These ads had titles such as “Come on, mother–be a sport” and “Never Mind, Mother–You’ll Learn” (Margaret). However, no matter how much a company seemed to advertise there was still one reoccurring problem–women do not like to read about sanitary protection. In order to appeal to women Johnson & Johnson decided to come out with one of the most famous advertising campaigns of the 20th century. They used well-known models to wear elegant gowns and fur coats to sell the Modess product. This spoke to the reader’s aspirations of women not worrying about what they wear on the specific time of month. Women of Modess could virtually do anything.
While transitioning into the 30’s tampons are slowly creeping into the market but it isn’t until 1931 when Dr. Earle Haas gets a patent for tampons that they begin to rise in popularity (History of Tampons). This is the first tampon that comes with an applicator. What made this product revolutionary is that women did not have to physically put their hands inside their vagina, which not only was unpleasant but unsanitary as well. With applicator tampons they were kept sterile and the disposal of them was seen as easy with a simple flush down the toilet. Dr. Haas sold the patent for 32,000 dollars (more than half a million dollars in todays money) to Gertrude Tendrich who then founded Tampax in 1933 (History of Tampons). Although Tampax was not the first commercial tampon it is seen as the only successful launch of tampons.
As the tampon begins to perfect, the company Tampax establishes its first formal education department in 1941. This is not just used to inform young girls on the option of tampon use but this was a great business mechanism to selling their new product. The company stared hiring “Tampax ladies” to visit schools, colleges, and conventions. Tampax describes their educational program as an “aim to dispel myths and misconceptions about menstruation and sanitary protection” (History of Tampons). However, in order to fundamentally campaign Tampax products for educational purposes marketers soon realized that they should conduct research backing up the safety of their new product. Surprisingly, Tampax had not conducted any safety tests for almost a decade after their products hit the shelves.
Serious questions were arising about the safety of tampon use, so in response Tampax conducts a study of observing twenty women over three to five month duration. The study resulted in only 6 positive conclusions. The first being that it gave complete protection (no leakage or stains) to 90 percent of the women, absorbed but did not block women’s natural flow, no internal irritation, it caused no infections, eliminated odor because blood was never exposed to air which causes decomposition, and majority favored tampon use compared to sanitary napkins (History of Tampons).
As the United States declared war following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, sales of tampons started to take a climb (Rely). Women got out of the kitchens and took over factory labor in place of them men off at war. They began working jobs such as welding and machine and crane operation. Most of the women that did not join the labor force acted as volunteer nurses for the war efforts. This organized chaos in American history led women away from messy sanitary napkins and to something more stable and fitting for their new and active lives. Not only did tampons start to become popular in America, this new invention began to spread to Europe by means of the war.
Going into the 1950’s Pursetts, or mini cases to hold tampons, began to enter its way into the Tampon market by being promoted to younger girls (History of Tampons). These cases would discreetly and effectively hide tampons. From the 1950’s to late 60’s tampons began to be more and more popular. Following women in the workplace movement, tampons were seen as easily accessible creating little to no mess. Women are allowed to leave their homes without worrying about damaging their clothes or others people knowing they are on their menstrual cycle. By the 1970’s menstruation was no longer kept secrete. Judy Blume publishes her young adult novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Blume instantly becomes the first author to ever weave menstruation in a fictional story.
With the rise of tampons, the industry got creative. Now we see different types of tampons such as high absorbency. However, this new tampon comes to a halt in the 1980’s as manufactures begin to recall these products due to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Since tampons branded themselves as high absorbent, many women did not feel the need to change their tampons for the duration of their period. Subsequently, excess bacteria buildup along with toxins entering a woman’s bloodstream causes a women’s body to go into shock. In 1980 alone, 812 cases of TSS was linked with tampon use during menstruation (Historical 2). Because of this, high absorbency tampons were immediately taken off the market. As of today, Toxic Shock from tampon use is almost unheard of. However to promote a healthy lifestyle it is advised to only use a tampon that is suitable for ones flow. Meaning, only use “super” or higher absorbent tampons when on a heavier flow.
Menstruation was once seen as almost shameful by American women and as it was masked behind a drapery of embarrassment both in daily lives and in the marketplace. Today we see women buying tampons in stores without a silent coupon and commercials almost daily promoting menstrual sanitation. Tampons are also being sold in different sizes along with new colors to add a little vibrancy to a week of misery. Every woman gets stricken with curiosity as to how the tampon came to be. Through hearty American ingenuity the tampon helps support a variety of women through their daily lives as mothers and breadwinners.
The evolution of effective feminine hygiene products is not seen in America until the first commercial sanitary pad hit the shelves in 1896. Johnson & Johnson called this new disposable pad ‘Lister’s Towels Sanitary for Women’ and was made from cotton (Inside). But a reoccurring theme was that women did not want to be seen buying sanitary towels, so in the 1920’s Johnson & Johnson coined the term Nupak. This product was packaged very plainly with only the name ‘Nupak’ on the cover so that it would not stand out as being used for feminine use. As a way for women to buy feminine hygiene products at drugstores without having to ask aloud, Johnson & Johnson devised the ‘silent purchase coupon’ for their brand Modess (Margaret). This coupon read “one box of Modess, please” and was handed to the sales person without any words exchanged (Inside).
As a sanitary protection enters the flapper age, a new campaign called “Modernizing Mother” was started to promote Modess. This was made up of a series of advertisements that appealed to a younger generation by exploiting the differences between the young and wild flappers from their traditional mothers. The message was to show young women that these sanitary products are not your mothers but your own. These ads had titles such as “Come on, mother–be a sport” and “Never Mind, Mother–You’ll Learn” (Margaret). However, no matter how much a company seemed to advertise there was still one reoccurring problem–women do not like to read about sanitary protection. In order to appeal to women Johnson & Johnson decided to come out with one of the most famous advertising campaigns of the 20th century. They used well-known models to wear elegant gowns and fur coats to sell the Modess product. This spoke to the reader’s aspirations of women not worrying about what they wear on the specific time of month. Women of Modess could virtually do anything.
While transitioning into the 30’s tampons are slowly creeping into the market but it isn’t until 1931 when Dr. Earle Haas gets a patent for tampons that they begin to rise in popularity (History of Tampons). This is the first tampon that comes with an applicator. What made this product revolutionary is that women did not have to physically put their hands inside their vagina, which not only was unpleasant but unsanitary as well. With applicator tampons they were kept sterile and the disposal of them was seen as easy with a simple flush down the toilet. Dr. Haas sold the patent for 32,000 dollars (more than half a million dollars in todays money) to Gertrude Tendrich who then founded Tampax in 1933 (History of Tampons). Although Tampax was not the first commercial tampon it is seen as the only successful launch of tampons.
As the tampon begins to perfect, the company Tampax establishes its first formal education department in 1941. This is not just used to inform young girls on the option of tampon use but this was a great business mechanism to selling their new product. The company stared hiring “Tampax ladies” to visit schools, colleges, and conventions. Tampax describes their educational program as an “aim to dispel myths and misconceptions about menstruation and sanitary protection” (History of Tampons). However, in order to fundamentally campaign Tampax products for educational purposes marketers soon realized that they should conduct research backing up the safety of their new product. Surprisingly, Tampax had not conducted any safety tests for almost a decade after their products hit the shelves.
Serious questions were arising about the safety of tampon use, so in response Tampax conducts a study of observing twenty women over three to five month duration. The study resulted in only 6 positive conclusions. The first being that it gave complete protection (no leakage or stains) to 90 percent of the women, absorbed but did not block women’s natural flow, no internal irritation, it caused no infections, eliminated odor because blood was never exposed to air which causes decomposition, and majority favored tampon use compared to sanitary napkins (History of Tampons).
As the United States declared war following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, sales of tampons started to take a climb (Rely). Women got out of the kitchens and took over factory labor in place of them men off at war. They began working jobs such as welding and machine and crane operation. Most of the women that did not join the labor force acted as volunteer nurses for the war efforts. This organized chaos in American history led women away from messy sanitary napkins and to something more stable and fitting for their new and active lives. Not only did tampons start to become popular in America, this new invention began to spread to Europe by means of the war.
Going into the 1950’s Pursetts, or mini cases to hold tampons, began to enter its way into the Tampon market by being promoted to younger girls (History of Tampons). These cases would discreetly and effectively hide tampons. From the 1950’s to late 60’s tampons began to be more and more popular. Following women in the workplace movement, tampons were seen as easily accessible creating little to no mess. Women are allowed to leave their homes without worrying about damaging their clothes or others people knowing they are on their menstrual cycle. By the 1970’s menstruation was no longer kept secrete. Judy Blume publishes her young adult novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Blume instantly becomes the first author to ever weave menstruation in a fictional story.
With the rise of tampons, the industry got creative. Now we see different types of tampons such as high absorbency. However, this new tampon comes to a halt in the 1980’s as manufactures begin to recall these products due to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Since tampons branded themselves as high absorbent, many women did not feel the need to change their tampons for the duration of their period. Subsequently, excess bacteria buildup along with toxins entering a woman’s bloodstream causes a women’s body to go into shock. In 1980 alone, 812 cases of TSS was linked with tampon use during menstruation (Historical 2). Because of this, high absorbency tampons were immediately taken off the market. As of today, Toxic Shock from tampon use is almost unheard of. However to promote a healthy lifestyle it is advised to only use a tampon that is suitable for ones flow. Meaning, only use “super” or higher absorbent tampons when on a heavier flow.
Menstruation was once seen as almost shameful by American women and as it was masked behind a drapery of embarrassment both in daily lives and in the marketplace. Today we see women buying tampons in stores without a silent coupon and commercials almost daily promoting menstrual sanitation. Tampons are also being sold in different sizes along with new colors to add a little vibrancy to a week of misery. Every woman gets stricken with curiosity as to how the tampon came to be. Through hearty American ingenuity the tampon helps support a variety of women through their daily lives as mothers and breadwinners.
Bibliography
Brumberg, Joan Jacobs. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. New York: Random House, 1997.
Delaney, Janice, Mary Jane. Lupton, and Emily Toth. The Curse: A Cultural History of Menstruation. N.p.: New American Library, 1976.
Houppert, Karen. The Curse: Confronting the Last Unmentionable Taboo: Menstruation. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999.
Ladie's Home Journal. Advertisement. Modess Nov. 1928: 1.
Delaney, Janice, Mary Jane. Lupton, and Emily Toth. The Curse: A Cultural History of Menstruation. N.p.: New American Library, 1976.
Houppert, Karen. The Curse: Confronting the Last Unmentionable Taboo: Menstruation. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999.
Ladie's Home Journal. Advertisement. Modess Nov. 1928: 1.
Primary Source Advertisement: Silent Purchase
This advertisement was first put of by Johnson & Johnson in June of 1928. The "silent purchase" was made for most women of this era who were too embarrassed to ask out loud of tampons at the drugstore. This coupon allows women to not be able to say a single word. They would just give the clerk the silent coupon and the clerk would give them the tampons. This "method" of buying tampons was used from the 1920's all the way through WWII until the 1950's. The phrase "sanitary napkin" was still used in replace of "tampon". These silent purchase coupons would be found in many magazines such as Sears and Roebuck.
Link to Source: http://www.mum.org/modjn28.htm
Multimedia Gallery
This 1985 Tampax commercial is the first advertisement to actually mention the word "period". Before this time, no actual words were spoken specifically about periods.
- The first picture is of two women purchasing their Tampax at a local drugstore.
- The second picture is an advertisement promoting Modess. They use a model wearing a white gown to appeal to women. The model is going dancing–something women on their periods could never do before.
- This is an advertisement during the WWII. Sales of tampons grew during this time in American history due to the demand of women in the workforce. Women needed a feminine product more sustainable for their new and restless lives.
- The last picture is of Dr.Haas (inventor of the tampon with an applicator) sketch of his new and revolutionary application tampon. It is dated as November 19, 1931.