News / International
Vaginal tightening cream sparks fury
27 Aug 2012 at 01:46hrs | Views
The launch of a new 'vaginal tightening and rejuvenating cream' by an Indian pharmaceutical company has sparked fury among the fairer sex.
Not only have women voiced the opinion on Twitter that 18 Again was created by Ultratech purely to cash in on female insecurities, but many are have criticised the accompanying TV advert.
The awkward commercial, set in an extended family household, involves a woman dancing around the internal courtyard with her husband.
She repeatedly sings lines borrowed and from Madonna's Like A Virgin (but given a Bollywood makeover), including 'ooh, I feel like a virgin' and 'it feels like the first time'.
Her husband grabs her waist and warbles 'oh, yes it's true' while an elderly couple of parents look on, seemingly aghast.
The film ends with a shot of the product, then a clip of the intrigued elderly couple apparently using the internet to order some of the cream for themselves.
Rishi Bhatia, chairman and managing director of Ultratech India, said: '18 Again is a first-of-its-kind product for women in India.
'This product is being launched in India post clinical trials conducted among women of all age groups under dermatological control.
'18 Again has the power and the potential to break the shackles and redefine the meaning of women empowerment altogether.'
Priti Nair, director of Curry-Nation, the creative agency behind the advert, said: 'This is a one-of-a-kind women-centric product, and the idea is to create a demand for such a product in the Indian market.
'Since the product is targeted towards concerns that are not usually talked about publicly, the challenges of creating a campaign for this is also higher.
'Since the the product is primarily targeted at housewives with children, we wanted to create a film that is tasteful yet engaging.'
According to online Indian news magazine Tehelka.com, Curry-Nation's account manager Nagessh Pannaswami has said that a tighter vagina is empowering because 'it's not just about sexual pleasure, but also about preventing infection, discharge, urinary incontinence, and making older women feel good'.
But Professor Nivedita Menon of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, condemns the product, saying he finds the idea both 'hilarious and maddening'.
He says: 'The perversity of it all lies in the fact that the gel will be sold as a health issue, as something women "should" do to take better care of their bodies.'
Twitter users have taken to the social networking site to condemn both the cream and the advert.
A user named Parmesh Shahani ‏tweets: 'Astounded that @18Again and #WomenOnTop campaign promotes "India's first natural vaginal tightening and rejeuventation gel" as "empowerment".'
Ram Cobin writes: 'A vaginal tightening gel. With a tastefully done, clutter-breaking idea "Feel like a virgin". This is advertising in progressive India. Argh.'
The vaginal tightening cream furore follows an earlier one in April, which came about after the A feminine hygiene product launched in India which promises to 'brighten' skin around the vagina is causing widespread controversy.
Not only have women voiced the opinion on Twitter that 18 Again was created by Ultratech purely to cash in on female insecurities, but many are have criticised the accompanying TV advert.
The awkward commercial, set in an extended family household, involves a woman dancing around the internal courtyard with her husband.
She repeatedly sings lines borrowed and from Madonna's Like A Virgin (but given a Bollywood makeover), including 'ooh, I feel like a virgin' and 'it feels like the first time'.
Her husband grabs her waist and warbles 'oh, yes it's true' while an elderly couple of parents look on, seemingly aghast.
The film ends with a shot of the product, then a clip of the intrigued elderly couple apparently using the internet to order some of the cream for themselves.
Rishi Bhatia, chairman and managing director of Ultratech India, said: '18 Again is a first-of-its-kind product for women in India.
'This product is being launched in India post clinical trials conducted among women of all age groups under dermatological control.
'18 Again has the power and the potential to break the shackles and redefine the meaning of women empowerment altogether.'
'Since the product is targeted towards concerns that are not usually talked about publicly, the challenges of creating a campaign for this is also higher.
'Since the the product is primarily targeted at housewives with children, we wanted to create a film that is tasteful yet engaging.'
According to online Indian news magazine Tehelka.com, Curry-Nation's account manager Nagessh Pannaswami has said that a tighter vagina is empowering because 'it's not just about sexual pleasure, but also about preventing infection, discharge, urinary incontinence, and making older women feel good'.
But Professor Nivedita Menon of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, condemns the product, saying he finds the idea both 'hilarious and maddening'.
He says: 'The perversity of it all lies in the fact that the gel will be sold as a health issue, as something women "should" do to take better care of their bodies.'
Twitter users have taken to the social networking site to condemn both the cream and the advert.
A user named Parmesh Shahani ‏tweets: 'Astounded that @18Again and #WomenOnTop campaign promotes "India's first natural vaginal tightening and rejeuventation gel" as "empowerment".'
Ram Cobin writes: 'A vaginal tightening gel. With a tastefully done, clutter-breaking idea "Feel like a virgin". This is advertising in progressive India. Argh.'
The vaginal tightening cream furore follows an earlier one in April, which came about after the A feminine hygiene product launched in India which promises to 'brighten' skin around the vagina is causing widespread controversy.
Source - DM
