The tampon brand Tampax apologized over the weekend for sexualizing their product after receiving backlash online.
“We messed up with our last tweet. We removed it and we apologize to everyone we offended. Respect is central to our brand values – our recent language did not reflect that. We have learned from this, and we will do better,” the official account shared with more than 22,000 Twitter followers.
We messed up with our last tweet. We removed it and we apologize to everyone we offended. Respect is central to our brand values – our recent language did not reflect that. We have learned from this, and we will do better.
— Tampax US (@Tampax) November 26, 2022
They were reacting to a joke shared earlier in November that fans deemed “creepy,” especially since it had sexual undertones.
“You’re in their DM’s. We’re in them. We are not the same,” the tweet read, seemingly referencing that tampons go inside women while simultaneously bragging to any men trying to hit on them.
Followers pointed out how teenagers or even younger girls used the brand’s products as well, which they claimed made the situation even more offensive.
The “we are not the same” line became popular online as a way of indicating a superior romantic or sexual relationship, which the brand was apparently trying to replicate. But their efforts weren’t well received by fans. The hashtag “BoycottTampax” was trending for a while, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“A women’s period products company is getting off on the idea of their products being inserted in girls and women – getting there first – while men are chatting them up hoping for sex. Overtones of rape, [pedophilia], misogyny – what a hat-trick,” one person fumed.
“So…A tampon is saying – to a dude framed as a sexual rival to the tampon – basically, ‘hey, bro. You’re too slow. I totally *hit* that already. How do you like THEM apples’ And this is supposed to appeal to your customers in some way?” another person agreed.
“No, it’s disgusting and creepy,” a third agreed.
The backlash became so extreme that Tampax backtracked, agreeing the tweet was inappropriate.
However, even the apology was not enough for some. The comments on Tampax’s retraction were still full of outrage over the situation.
“Women and girls want sanitary products they can trust, not wink, wink sexualization of a basic biological function. Leave us alone and go and ‘brand value’ elsewhere,” one Twitter comment said.