Box of 10 Rubella applicator tampons, super

Box of 10 Rubella applicator tampons, super, "vente exclusive en pharmacie" (sold exclusively in pharmacies), Laboratoires Ruby, France, 1973

This pack of ‘Rubella’ branded tampons was originally donated by Tambrands archive to the Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health (MUM). Produced for the French market, the title was likely derived from the company’s name – Laboratoires Ruby – rather than having any association with the disease commonly known (in English) as German measles.

The MUM collection was founded by American graphic designer Harry Finley, after he was struck by the differences between European and North American approaches to marketing menstrual products. The former, he noticed, tended to be more candid, while euphemisms and floral imagery proliferated in US advertisements and product packaging. Red colour schemes were more common in European product lines.