Menstrual products are a normal part of health routines for half the population. But online and in advertising, they remain largely taboo.

Nadya Okamoto, co-founder of period-care brand August, created the brand as part of a decade-long mission to help destigmatize periods. At 16, she started the nonprofit Period.org, and at 20, she wrote a book aimed at bringing attention to inequities like states taxing tampons as luxury items rather than necessities. Now, as a 26-year-old business owner, Okamoto said she’s seen period-care brands miscategorized and stigmatized in the advertising world.

Okamoto said that August was marked for violations and had its listings frozen on TikTok Shop in May after just one week on the platform (TikTok includes feminine-care products on its list of prohibited products for TikTok Shop). TikTok had not provided comment at publication time. On Hulu, she said one of the brand’s CTV ads that showed fake blood was recently flagged for “violent and graphic content.” Hulu did not respond to Marketing Brew’s request for comment. In other cases, she said she’s seen period-care products face the same restrictions as products like sex toys and vapes.

“This is representative of a much larger challenge as a period-care brand,” Okamoto said. “This category is so synonymous with something inappropriate that, in everything from advertising to CTV, social media, and shoppability, there are just so many restrictions, which makes it super challenging.”

Continue reading more.—KH

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Marketers might want to consider unmuting their brands’ logos.

Since many TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube users scroll with sound on, and brands are licensing music or even creating custom songs reminiscent of jingles to add sound to their posts. Now, a study from sonic branding agency amp finds that syncing audio with the visuals in a logo could produce better results than simply adding music.

Volume up: Amp asked 300 US-based participants to watch 15 visual logos—12 real and three created for the sake of the experiment—both with and without an accompanying sonic logo, and then rate them based on a handful of brand attributes considered to be positive, plus a couple of negative attributes.

Audiovisual logos were rated as more authentic, relatable, trustworthy, unique, attention-grabbing, and likable than visual-only logos, amp found. Participants also rated audiovisual logos as less generic and less dull.

Read more here.—AM

Each week, we spotlight Marketing Brew readers in our Coworking series. If you’d like to be featured, introduce yourself here.

Haidi Kelly is SVP of marketing at AdMarketplace. Prior to joining AdMarketplace, a search advertising marketplace, she held growth and marketing roles at companies including CGTrader, Poppin, and WeWork, and she has worked at agencies like IAC and MediaCom.

What’s your favorite ad campaign? It has to be Oreo “Dunk in the Dark” during the 2013 Super Bowl blackout. It’s the perfect showcase of the power of social media and the importance of being timely and relevant. The brand and agency’s ability to seize that unexpected moment, turn it into a clever and funny viral sensation, and do it all in such a short amount of time is truly admirable. It’s a testament to the effectiveness of quick thinking and creative execution in marketing, making it the perfect example of how to create memorable impact.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: I’m a bit of a music aficionado. I not only love listening to music and going to concerts, but I also play two instruments. I can switch between the piano and trombone, which makes for some fun jazz sessions. I might be a bit rusty at this point since it’s not a daily habit anymore, but just like riding a bike, the muscle memory kicks in after a couple hours of playing. It’s a great distraction and keeps the creative juices flowing.

Read more here.

Someone has to say it. It’s June, marketers, and that means back-to-school season isn’t far away. This free report from Walmart Connect has exclusive insights into their customer behavior. You’ll find tips on how to price and promote products to help boost your sales and inform your strategy. Get the guide.

Mergers and acquisitions, company partnerships, and more.

• FIFA is looking for up to $2 billion in funds to help expand its free streaming service FIFA+, according to AdAge.
• CAA, the talent agency representing major names in sports and entertainment, created a new department designed to focus on brand partnerships.
• IPG is considering selling off agency R/GA, and TCS Interactive is the likely buyer, AdAge reported.