As a public relations company in Manchester we’re more than accustomed to the highs and lows of communications, not to mention the mundanely average everyday concepts that are perpetually rolled out by less inspired practitioners. Then something comes along that makes you stand up and genuinely acknowledge at least some mild genius at work.
Such was the case today when we happened on this Bodyform video, made in response to Facebook comments regarding the company’s use of metaphor and positive imagery to portray what, for many people, can be a slightly unpleasant time of the month. The complainant, one Richard Neil, suggested the brand had given him an unbalanced image of periods, with adverts suggesting they are wholly positive experiences for women, a time in which they skydive and rollerblade. Needless to say he was almost certainly joking, but it’s hard to remember when the reaction came in the form of this comedic suckerpunch.
We’ve embedded the video below, which sees the fictitious CEO of Bodyform explain, in no uncertain sarcasm, how the content of their adverts is actually symbolic, and that they were created in order to protect men from the truth behind one of the most natural processes in humankind. Take a look for yourselves and see what’s what, from our perspective this represents a great exercise in reactive marketing, and one that has allowed a company that works in a notoriously rigid industry, advertising wise, to come up with something out of type and memorable. Far from easy achievements.