The Tampon Book by The Female Company
In Germany, tampons were taxed as luxury items—at 19%—while books were taxed at just 7%. The Female Company, a feminist hygiene brand, saw the absurdity and responded with a campaign that was part product, part protest, and all genius. They launched “The Tampon Book”, a beautifully designed book filled with stories about menstruation—and 15 actual tampons hidden inside. It wasn’t just clever packaging—it was a legal workaround that sparked national debate and legislative change.
Campaign Overview
Developed by Scholz & Friends Berlin, “The Tampon Book” was launched in 2019 as a limited-edition product. It featured 45 pages of bold, witty, and educational content about menstruation, taboos, and gender politics—alongside 15 organic tampons tucked inside the spine.
Because books were taxed at 7%, the product legally qualified for the lower rate. The campaign was supported by influencer outreach, PR stunts, and direct lobbying. It went viral across Europe, with thousands of copies sold and media coverage from The Guardian, CNN, and Der Spiegel. Most importantly, it helped push Germany to change its tampon tax law in 2020.
Campaign Objective
The campaign aimed to:
Protest Germany’s outdated tax laws that treated menstrual products as luxury goods
Raise awareness about the gender bias in taxation
Drive conversation around period equity and normalize menstruation
Promote The Female Company’s organic tampon subscription service
The goal was to use creativity and legality to force a conversation—and a policy shift.
Execution
Book-as-Packaging: Tampons were sold inside a printed book to qualify for Germany’s lower book tax rate.
Educational Content: The book featured stories, illustrations, and facts about menstruation and gender inequality.
Legal Loophole Activation: The campaign exploited a real tax discrepancy to highlight systemic bias.
Influencer & PR Push: Feminist influencers, journalists, and politicians amplified the campaign across social media and news outlets.
Direct Advocacy: The Female Company used the campaign to lobby lawmakers, contributing to the eventual tax reform.
Brand Impact
“The Tampon Book” positioned The Female Company as a fearless, feminist brand with a sharp sense of humor and a serious mission. It elevated their visibility, drove product subscriptions, and earned global respect. More importantly, it helped catalyze real change—Germany reduced the tampon tax from 19% to 7% in 2020.
Results
The Tampon Book Campaign by The Female Company achieved remarkable results, generating over 12 million impressions in its first month and selling out thousands of books within just days. It gained global media coverage across 50+ outlets, earning prestigious awards such as the Cannes Lions Gold and a D&AD Pencil. Beyond creative success, the campaign made a real social impact by contributing to Germany’s tampon tax reform in 2020, proving the power of activism-driven marketing.
Lessons Learned
“The Tampon Book” teaches us that creativity can be a weapon. The campaign also shows the power of design as protest—when you embed your message in the product, it becomes impossible to ignore. And finally, it proves that brands can drive policy change when they act with clarity, courage, and wit.
