See also Australian douche ad
(ca. 1900) - Fresca
douche powder (U.S.A.) (date ?) - Kotique douche liquid
ad, 1974 (U.S.A.) - Liasan
(1) genital wash ad, 1980s (Germany) - Liasan (2) genital wash
ad, 1980s (Germany) - Lysol
douche liquid ad, 1928 (U.S.A.) - Lysol douche liquid ad,
1948 (U.S.A.) - Marvel
douche liquid ad, 1928 (U.S.A.) - Midol menstrual pain
pill ad, 1938 (U.S.A.) - Midol
booklet (selections), 1959 (U.S.A.) - Mum deodorant cream ad,
1926 (U.S.A.) - Myzone
menstrual pain pills ad, 1952 (Australia) - Pristeen genital spray
ad, 1969 (U.S.A.) - Spalt
pain tablets, 1936 (Germany) - Vionell genital spray ad,
1970, with Cheryl Tiegs (Germany) - Zonite douche liquid ad,
1928 (U.S.A.)
The Perils of Vaginal
Douching (essay by Luci Capo Rome) - the odor page
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Kotex menstrual pad ad, U.S.A., March 1922
Four interesting points in the text
characterize this beautiful - just one
man's opinion - ad.
1. Because they were cheap - at least
to the fancy lady and her ilk in the
illustration - women could throw them
away, unlike the washable pads most
women used in 1922 and before. The
early Kotex was (were? The text also
uses Kotex in the plural.) expensive,
about five cents a pad - today, that's
maybe 40 cents. See how Kotex tells
you to toss
them away.
2. Women were probably embarrassed to
talk with others about buying
menstrual pads. Kotex also instructed
dealers to put
boxes on the counter and to
allow women to put money in a box next
to it. Imagine doing that today! Women
still are
embarrassed about menstruation -
surprise!
3. Nothing on the box gave away what
was inside - well, um, the word Kotex
eventually did, and it became
synonymous with menstrual pads even
through today. And when the clerk
wrapped the box, something common
until recently, the shape of the box,
believe it or not, suggested to
passersby what the unfortunate lady
was carrying. Dr. Lillian Gilbreth wrote about this
in 1927. Gee, I wonder what's in
that box on the table.
4. And, finally, the main point, the
illustration: you didn't have to wash
the dang things! Another early Kotex
ad features
this. But some women choose to use
washable pads today.
See some from the first decade of
the 20th century and an Italian pad
from around 1890.
The ad also discusses the Kotex vending machine,
still anchored in many women's public
toilets.
I enlarged the
text, below the top picture.
See the
illustration enlarged.
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See the illustration, enlarged.
© 2007 Harry Finley. It is illegal to
reproduce or distribute work
on this Web site in any manner or medium without
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Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org
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