So, here comes this news from Finland:
"Tampon for Men by Finnish hygiene product brand Vuokkoset aims to alleviate the distress transgender men feel related to menstruation. The initiative aims to spark a conversation about the gendered nature of menstrual care and inclusivity of the health and wellness industry. The product will be launched 15th of November during international Transgender Awareness Week."
Soooo, let's cut to the chase. They have creatad a brand of "tampons for men" and naturally the brand website with it: formenstruation.com. For MEN struation. Haha, get it? Stay away from the puns, kids.
The star of the campaign is DEI consultant Dakota Robin. A trans identified woman. Hence the need for tampons. Not everyone stops menstruating while taking cross sex hormones and lupron.
Dakota Robin says: "When I was young, menstruation felt not only strange but somehow wrong. Our culture does not really acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals"
Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the company that manufactures Vuokkoset products adds: "Menstrual products - from visuality, advertising to store location - are strongly feminine. The discrimination spans to men’s bathrooms that lack waste bins for menstrual products. It’s time to acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals"
The Tampon for Men will be available as a limited edition in Finland and wider distribution will begin in early 2024. Total sales proceeds are donated to Trasek ry. Trasek ry is an organization focused on gender diversity and sexual health. A fully gender-neutral tampon product by Vuokkoset is also being considered. Can't wait to see the ads for that? I hop the design of that revives the "no brand" kind of brand, like Blåvitt or No frills.
The comments on TBWA's announcement on Instagram about this brand are being deleted as we speak. This looks like award-bait.
Delipap Oy (the company that manufactures Vuokkoset products)
Senja Blomqvist, Brand Manager
Tomi Sirén, Growth Director
TBWA\Helsinki
Alex Pineda, Chief Creative Officer
Paula Sonne, Earned Creative Director, Eleven
Heidi Taina, Creative Director
Mikael Kivelä, Head of Design
Iikka Maunumaa, Senior Business Director
Rosa Kojonkoski, Account Manager
Mikko Roininen, Art Director
Heikki Karstu, Junior Copywriter
Emma Pettersson, Junior Planner & Comms
Max Naumanen, Junior Digital Designer
Taneli Lahtinen, Creative Content / Photographer