See the same ad from the U.S.A., 1938, with
slightly different text.
More Tampax ads:
Ad Aug 1965 - actress
Susan Dey ad, 1970 -
gymnast Mary Lou Retton
ad, 1986 - ad "Are you
sure I'll still be a virgin?" Feb. 1990 -
ad (British, nude) 1992
- Tampax sign (World
War II) - ad,
British, 1994 (the thong advantage)
See a Modess True or
False? ad in The American Girl magazine,
January 1947, and actress Carol
Lynley in "How Shall I Tell My Daughter"
booklet ad (1955) - Modess
. . . . because ads (many dates).
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Tampax tampon ad, the Netherlands,
21 July 1938, in Panorama magazine
Until recently I believed that
commercial tampons hadn't existed in
Europe until after World War II, when
o.b. appeared in Germany. Women had
apparently sewn their own tampons (and
I'm sure made them other ways, too)
since at least the beginning of the
20th century.
Silly me! Tambrands, the former
maker of Tampax, sent me a box of
Tampax from its archives that a
company hand dated 1938 - and the box
was in French. I thought that maybe
the box had been destined for French
Canada. Maybe it had but it shook my
confidence.
Now I have proof: a Dutch contributor
sent me the ad below for Tampax from
the Dutch Panorama magazine, dated
21 July 1938. (A week later
the same magazine had an ad
for Nefa sanitary napkins,
probably a native Dutch brand.) See
the same ad in 1938 with slightly
different text (in translation, of
course) from the U.S.A.
The ad text reminds me of an American
Tampax ad of the time. The company had
truly something new: a tampon with an
applicator (see one of the first ones),
which competed with applicator-less
tampons like Wix.
Compare this bright ad with the
almost secretive one for Modess from
Great Britain from two years earlier.
I wonder if they reflect something in
the two nations' temperaments.
Note that we see no picture of a
tampon, which at this time was new.
I thank very much the Dutch
contributor of this ad!
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My
translation of the main text,
working down from the words on the
woman's forehead:
The idea is new and
surprising, the results are
glorious.
Invented by a doctor
for every normal woman.
A new way in woman's
hygiene.
Life is much more
comfortable for the modern woman
through this new Tampax method for
hygienic protection.
Tampax is not only
secure, sure, esthetic and
practical, but you don't feel its
presence because it's worn
internally.
Doctors have long
used medical tampons, but now it's
possible for women - every
physically normal woman - to use the
patented Tampax to solve the
hygienic problem through this
modern, pleasant and refined method.
No belts anymore, no
pins, no pads. All unpleasantness is
removed. Not difficult to dispose
of.
In your purse you
always have a good month's supply at
hand. Tampax is made of a strong
surgical cotton with an
extraordinarily high absorption
capacity. One Tampax absorbs more
than a sanitary napkin. It can't get
loose. You can't lose it and you can
be sure of its continual protection.
Tampax is recommended by
gynecologists. One pack for a month
costs 65 c[ents?], the trial pack 36
c. Complete instructions in each
pack.
Tampax puts within
reach of the refined woman: complete
safety, hygienic protection,
invisible fit, unhindered movement.
[Text under the
Tampax box] You'll like Tampax.
Recommend it to your friends.
They'll be thankful. if you can't
find it at your dealer send us this
coupon.
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The same ad from the U.S.A.,
1938, slightly different text - Tampax ad Aug 1965 -
actress
Susan Dey ad, 1970 -
gymnast Mary Lou Retton
ad, 1986 - ad "Are you
sure I'll still be a virgin?"
Feb. 1990 - ad (British, nude) 1992 - Tampax sign (World War
II) - ad, British,
1994 (the thong advantage)
© 2005 Harry Finley. It is illegal to
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in any manner or medium without written
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suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org
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