Playtex Gentle Glide launched in 1973, at a time when tampons with plastic applicators were considered a revolutionary innovation in the women’s health industry. But a lot has changed over the last 40 years. The market has been flooded with the arrival of specialty competitors. New brands – LOLA, CORA, Diva Cup – are quickly stealing market share by capitalizing on a new generation of health-conscious consumers who want products that promises an enhanced sense of well-being. Specialized benefits such as organic materials, direct-to-consumer services and over-the-top additions such as probiotics have convinced our consumer that more is better for her.

Realizing the new market dynamics, Playtex found an opportunity to evolve with a product that addressed what she really wants when it comes to tampons: simple, effective and safe. The brand created Playtex Simply Gentle Glide, which features a clear plastic applicator free from color, dyes and BPA, with the promise that it will deliver everything she needs without the “extra” things she doesn't.

The goals of this campaign were to increase awareness of this new product innovation while making Playtex relevant again to millennial women.

The world has gotten a bit too “extra.” From 24-karat gold face masks to unicorn Frappuccinos to Bluetooth-connected tampons, women today are living in a Kardashian, Goop-obsessed culture. So, to make Playtex stand out in an aisle where specialty newcomers were cashing in on this obsession with “more,” we knew we had to play along. To speak her language, we enlisted the help of an authentic comedic voice: D’Arcy Carden (“Janet” from “The Good Place'”). Together we poked fun at the extra-fiction of femcare products with Xtra: The world’s most “extra” tampon. The fake product was announced via a parody-style ad ultimately proving that, when comes to your hygiene and health, simpler is better.