Imagining the Invisible: Menstrual Representations in Indian Television Advertising

Abstract

This study examines the visual and thematic representation of menstruation in Indian sanitary napkin advertisements on television, broadcast between 2006 and 2024. With menstruation often treated as a cultural taboo in India, media representations—especially advertisements—play a crucial role in shaping public discourse and social attitudes. The research aims to explore how menstrual issues, myths, and realities are represented through symbolic imagery and narrative strategies in these ads. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study analysed 35 advertisements from Kannada and Hindi television channels. Quantitative analysis identifiesrecurring themes, emotional tones, and visual motifs, while qualitative content analysis and semiotic tools decode the underlying cultural and ideological messages. The research is anchored in feminist media theory and semiotics, drawing particularly on the works of Laura Mulvey, Judith Butler, and Roland Barthes to critique gendered messaging and mythmaking. The findingsreveal a dominant narrative pattern wherein menstruation is initially problematized—associated with shame, discomfort, or restriction—and then resolved through the sanitary product, which is portrayed as a liberating, empowering solution. While earlier ads relied heavily on euphemisms and sanitized imagery, recent advertisements show incremental shifts toward realism, including the use of red liquid and the depiction of stains. However, these gesturestoward destigmatisation often coexist with commercial imperatives that commodify empowerment and reinforce normative femininity. The study highlights the need for more inclusive and truthful representations that transcend symbolic performances to foster menstrual literacy, challenge taboos, and promote bodily autonomy.