4 chapters across the catalog
Johnson & Johnson released a commercial featuring a "diary of a vagina" to market feminine hygiene products. The hosts mock the abstract and "ferocious" descriptions used in the ad. They note a cultural shift where the word "vagina" is now used gratuitously in scripts and commercials to normalize the marketing of these products.
The hosts investigate why the word "vagina" has suddenly become prevalent in network television comedies like "2 Broke Girls." They conclude that advertisers for feminine hygiene products pressured networks to normalize the word to make their commercials more acceptable. Spending on ads for tampons and cleansers reportedly rose to $218 million in 2010.
Johnson & Johnson OB Tampon Shortage, Toxic Shock Syndrome
A nationwide shortage of Johnson & Johnson OB brand tampons is identified after failed attempts to locate the product at various retailers like Rite Aid and Ralphs. Reports indicate the product is being sold on eBay for as much as $160 due to its disappearance from store shelves. Speculation arises that the shortage is a cover-up for cases of toxic shock syndrome or significant production issues that the company has not fully disclosed to the public.
Verizon Wireless Propaganda, Rule the Air Advertisement
The hosts critique a Verizon Wireless advertisement titled "Rule the Air," which features a series of young women delivering a manifesto about the power of ideas. Initially mistaken for a feminine hygiene product ad, the segment is slammed as a "piece of propaganda" with no clear commercial value. The hosts mock the dramatic tone and the "You are the network" branding strategy.
