Selling Romance - Pursettes Tampon Ads

Anyone who has flipped through a romance comic knows that they hold a few strange ads, considering the primarily female demographic. Take, for example, the ubiquitous fishing equipment advertisement that can be found in many '60s/'70s comics, including the romance books. Trolling lures and trout flies just aren't things you would typically associate with a young female audience! But tampons? Now that definitely makes more sense! The following are advertisements for Pursettes brand tampons ("the tote tampons") that ran in romance comics as well as teen magazines such as Seventeen from the late 1960s into the '70s.

Girls' Love Stories #144 (July 1969)

I Love You #108 (September 1974)

Time for Love #40 (February 1975)

Young Romance #207 (September/October 1975)

Young Love #118 (October/November 1975)

Young Love #119 (December 1975/January 1976)

Young Love #120 (Winter 1976)

The bulk of these ads centered around teenage anxieties and the eternal quest to fit in are effectively illustrated by legendary Mad artist, Mort Drucker.