Umm...

Has anyone seen the ad campaign for Tetley's Red Tea? It's Rooibos from Africa, which is a great tea, no two ways about it, but you know your TV commercials and print ads have a serious problem when they remind people of...

Let me put it this way: Blood is thicker than water. So, if you have swirls of red falling into oversized glass teacups full of hot water, even if those swirls happen to take on the form of exotic African scenes, giant elephants and gushing waterfalls, it's not going to stop the product from looking like blood. But I actually think that's the point. For some reason I think they want it to look like blood (it is thought that Rooibos increases iron absorption.) 

Now here's where things go from odd to downright awkward. I've been in the room with gay men, post-menopausal women, teenagers and woodworkers, and without fail when the Tetley Red Tea commercial comes on, someone pipes in (and it's not always me), saying "Um, that looks like someone's having their period in the teacup." 

I do like the music though.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think it's time for a rethink when the sight of your tea makes potential customers nauseous. Then again, nothing soothes nausea better than a nice cup of tea.

Why...those evil geniuses. 

Here's the commercial. Judge for yourself.