18 Vintage Period Ads That Are Totally Cringe-Worthy

“How do I feel about my period? I love it!”

That's the opening line from Kotex's 2010 "So Obnoxious" ad, which you might remember. The satirical ad features "a believably attractive 18-to-24-year-old female" who's relatable because, "I’m racially ambiguous," she explains. "Market research shows that girls like you love girls like me.”

The Kotex pads being advertised may not have flown off the shelves, but the commercial itself was a viral success, even prompting a New York Times article. The reason it struck a nerve? It called out the absurdities that have littered period product advertisements since time immemorial. Finally, someone was calling out the cliched myths that were being perpetuated by sexist ads about... 'that time of the month'.

The 2010 Kotex ad was the start of a welcome sea change in how period products are marketed – one that led us into a new era in which these ads got so real it caused a (silly) controversy.

To see how far the tampon trailer has come, we rounded up some of the oddest, most offensive and downright absurd vintage period ads of all time. They probably won't make you want to buy tampons, but they'll sure give you good laugh. Peek-a-boo pillow at the ready, things are about to get cringe...

Read more Rag Week stories on Refinery29 UK:

Rag Week: Addressing Our Problem With Periods by Gillian Orr
Menopause - The Truth And The Surprise Ending by Caryn Franklin
Girls Across The Globe Are Missing School Because Of Their Periods by Torey Van Oot
How My Period Landed Me In Hospital by Jo Fuertes-Knight
Saying Goodbye To My Period As A Trans Man by Freddy McConnell
Me And My Mooncup: A Love Story by Helen Nianias