I'm not sure if you've noticed, but in pad commercials, the women wearing them are often viewed as delicate feminine energies. Tampons, on the other hand, show working women, Strong Women.

This didn't just happen by coincidence. Tampons and pads were advertised similarly up until the public found out that TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) could be caused by tampons in 1978.

Companies that sold sanitary pads seized the opportunity to attempt to oust tampon companies from the market by implying that women who wore tampons weren't woman enough by heightening feminine stereotypes surrounding women (the "good" ones that is). Sure, pads at the time weren't the most discreet, but at least there was no chance they'd kill you.

Tampons fought back. They took the opposite approach, implying that women who wore pads were weak, not feminist enough.

The advertising, however, resulted in many sexist messages being put out there.

Young girls and women who wear pads, to this day, feel as though they are childish, and the idea that tampons "took your virginity" persists in many households. Periods are a beautiful thing that don't affect your body at all, thereby invalidating the intense pain that many women felt during, before, or after their period. Periods must be hidden. Periods are what make someone a woman, completely opening the door for more shame for women who don't get periods for one reason or another, trans or cis.

Many more harmful messages have been pushed due to this kind of advertising, much of which exists to this day. Which is why we need more women leading the charge on period technology in some form or another.