Aerobics, Horseriding and White Pants

Well then. Everyone's got to start somewhere. Welcome to an ideal family home, where Mother and Daughter visit the pharmacy together, and return home with some new improved Platex Tampons in a brown paper bag. Just like a glue sniffer would have! (Which raises the question, which is more important? Hiding your substance abuse habit, or the fact that you've got your period?).

This ad utilises a common feature of feminine hygiene product ads from this era. These women are able to talk openly about tampons, because they are mother and daughter.

Platex is a brand that has brainwashed this teenage daughter, she'll NEVER switch! There's just no product that could ever be better! But Mother knows best, she's talking about the new improved version! This is a classic case of the competition between brands. They're careful to point out that it would be ludicrous to switch to another brand, that's not even something your Mother would suggest. The daughter seems to find it hard to believe that the new Platex contoured applicator could possibly be even more comfortable than it was before. I wonder if she meant to say "slightly less UNcomfortable". Probably not, since this ad seems to be hammering home the comfort factor. Comfort is a strange thing to focus on, because there really isn't any when it comes to applicators. But I suppose comfort is a nice idea, especially when you're surrounded by it all the time. (Re: cosy mother daughter relationship, nice decorations on the walls, lavender wallpaper and sweater vest).

In the previous Platex ad, we saw ladies dressed in white all dancing in unison. Some of them had grey hair. The Platex girls were young and vibrant, and having the time of their lives. This Platex ad from the 1950s is also targeted towards the young, vibrant woman. This teenage girl is getting a little bit independent. The mother knows that the new plastic wrap on the tampons is exactly what her daughter needs, and the daughter isn't afraid to have a little giggle about the haphazard state of her handbag.