Promotional pack of 22 Playtex non-deodorant tampons, 11 Regular and 11 Super, with free packet of Advil tablets

Promotional pack of 22 Playtex non-deodorant tampons, 11 Regular and 11 Super, with free packet of 8 200mg Advil ibuprofen tablets, Playtex Products Inc., USA, 1994-1995

Keen to have the edge over market-leader Tampax, Playtex marketed itself as “the innovator”. They were the first brand to introduce plastic applicator tampons in 1962, became the first major manufacturer of deodorant tampons in 1971 and the were first to advertise tampons on US national television in 1972.

This multipack of tampons from the mid-1990s includes a free sample of Advil ibuprofen tablets. The promotion is an explicit acknowledgement of period pain, which affects 85-95% of menstruators during their lifetimes.

Its mixed range of absorbencies allows users to select the lowest rating for their flow. In 1982, the US government introduced new rules requiring warning labels on packaging after higher absorbency tampons were shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing toxic shock syndrome, a rare but life-threatening condition caused by bacterial infection.