History Main / BlueLiquidAbsorbent

* This trope is also used by toilet capsules that prevent the bowl from staining (the things that turn the water blue). Colorless capsules exist, but they don't tell you when it's time for a new one, and any other color besides blue would ''not'' be what you'd want to see when you open the lid.

* This trope is also used by toilet capsules that prevent the bowl from staining (ie, the things that turn the water blue). Colorless capsules exist, but they don't tell you when it's time for a new one, and any other color besides blue would ''not'' be what you'd want to see when you open the lid.

In commercials featuring absorbency tests, particularly menstrual products or diapers, the liquid being absorbed will be bright blue. This is a deliberate attempt to avoid unsavory resemblance to any kind of bodily fluids, even though that is the product's intended use. Think about it -- red/pink/purple, yellow/orange, or brown? Pretty obvious. Green or black would most likely put you in mind of the same kinds of fluids, except with something ''[[BodyHorror gone horribly wrong]]''. Clear [[RuleOfPerception wouldn't easily show up on comparison shots]], or might squick out viewers for [[ADateWithRosiePalms other reasons]]. Meanwhile, the only fluid you're going to associate with blue is good old pure, healthy [[WaterIsBlue water]].

* This trope is also used by toilet capsules that prevent the bowl from staining (ie, the things that turn the water blue). Colorless capsules exist, but they don't tell you when it's time for a new one, and any other color would ''not'' be what you'd want to see when you open the lid.

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In commercials featuring absorbency tests, the liquid being absorbed will be bright blue. This is a deliberate attempt to avoid unsavory resemblance to any kind of bodily fluids, even though that is the product's intended use. Think about it -- red/pink/purple, yellow/orange, or brown? Pretty obvious. Green or black would most likely put you in mind of the same kinds of fluids, except with something ''[[BodyHorror gone horribly wrong]]''. Clear [[RuleOfPerception wouldn't easily show up on comparison shots]], and having a clear, but translucent liquid would squick out older viewers for...[[ADateWithRosiePalms other reasons, shall we say.]]. Meanwhile, the only fluid you're going to associate with blue is good old pure, healthy [[WaterIsBlue water]].

Pretty much any ad for menstrual products uses this trope, all around the world. This is partly because even ''advertising'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or other realistic color. Compare NoPeriodsPeriod.

In commercials featuring absorbency tests, the liquid being absorbed will be bright blue. This is a deliberate attempt to avoid unsavory resemblance to any kind of bodily fluids, even though that is generally the product's intended use. Think about it -- red/pink/purple, yellow/orange, or brown? Pretty obvious. Green or black would most likely put you in mind of the same kinds of fluids, except with something ''[[BodyHorror gone horribly wrong]]''. Clear [[RuleOfPerception wouldn't easily show up on comparison shots]], and having a clear, but translucent liquid would squick out older viewers for...[[ADateWithRosiePalms other reasons, shall we say.]]. Meanwhile, the only fluid you're going to associate with blue is good old pure, healthy [[WaterIsBlue water]].

Humorously, a blue liquid test will nearly always have a small disclaimer on-screen, reminding us that this is a "dramatization". Just so the audience didn't think that somebody was actually peeing blue liquid onto the whatever.

See also WaterIsBlue.

Blue liquid was first used in place of the others probably for the simple desire to not {{Squick}} out viewers, especially those who might be eating at the time. This, before the Internet age, left some viewers under a certain age asking, "Yes, but what does the product DO?" Seriously, how does one tell a Poise pad from an Always pad if you don't know the liquid color?

Blue liquid was first used in place of the others probably for the simple desire to not {{Squick}} out viewers, especially those who might be eating at the time. This, before the Internet age, placed some of these products in the "YesButWhatDoesItDO?" class for viewers under a certain age. Seriously, how does one tell a Poise pad from an Always pad if you don't know the liquid color?

Humourously, a blue liquid test will nearly always have a small disclaimer on-screen, reminding us that this is a "dramatization". Just so the audience didn't think that somebody was actually peeing blue liquid onto the whatever.

Pretty much any ad for menstrual products uses this trope, all around the world. This is partly because even ''advertising'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or other realistic colour. Compare NoPeriodsPeriod.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Tea Peter", when Peter is talking about the bad things that are happening without the government one of things brought up is that tampon commercials no longer use blue liquid in their demonstrations. We are then shown a CutawayGag of the Griffins reacting in disgust to a commercial.

Pretty much any ad for menstrual products uses this trope, all around the world. This is partly because even ''advertising'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or other realistic colour.

* Even true, often, for things like Bounty paper towels. (Though more recently they use water or juice for a realism effect.)
* Averted in a new pad brand here in Brazil. But it didn't change that much, they use a green liquid.
* Pretty much any ad for menstrual products, all around the world. (This does include the Always pads.) This is partly because even ''advertising'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or a realistic colour.

* {{Averted|Trope}} in a 1990s [[https://vimeo.com/72800845 ad for Libra pads.]] The ad involved a murder in a gallery (or somewhere), then when the detectives and curator (who did the murder) arrived at the scene, the curator sees blood (or water) on the floor and uses the pad being advertised to soak it up before the detectives could see it. [[DudeNotFunny Needless to say]], the ad was quickly pulled.

* Ads for Colgate Toothpaste used to use the blue liquid to demonstrate how fluoride gets into teeth, comparing it to the blue soaking into a stick of chalk.

-->-- Maxi Pad commercial lampshading this trope.

In commercials featuring absorbency tests, the liquid being absorbed will be bright blue. This is a deliberate attempt to avoid unsavory resemblance to any kind of bodily fluids, even though that is generally the product's intended use. Think about it -- red/pink/purple, yellow/orange, or brown? Pretty obvious. Green or black would most likely put you in mind of the same kinds of fluids, except with something ''[[BodyHorror gone horribly wrong]]''. Clear [[RuleOfPerception wouldn't show up at all]]. Meanwhile, the only fluid you're going to associate with blue is good old pure, healthy [[WaterIsBlue water]].

* Even true, often, for things like Bounty paper towels. (Though more recently they use water or juice for a realism effect).

* {{Averted|Trope}} in a 1990s [[https://vimeo.com/72800845 ad for Libra pads.]] The ad involved a murder in a gallery (or somewhere), then when the detectives and curator (who did the murder) arrived at the scene, the curator sees blood (or water) on the floor and uses the pad being advertised to soak it up before the detectives could see it. Needless to say, the ad was quickly pulled.

* {{Averted|Trope}} in a 90's [[https://vimeo.com/72800845 ad for Libra pads.]] The ad involved a murder in a gallery (or somewhere), then when the detectives and curator (who did the murder) arrived at the scene, the curator sees blood (or water) on the floor and uses the pad being advertised to soak it up before the detectives could see it. Needless to say, the ad was quickly pulled.

Blue liquid was first used in place of the others probably for the simple desire to not {{Squick}} out viewers, especially those who might be eating at the time. This, before the Internet age, placed some of these products in the "YesButWhatDoesItDo?" class for viewers under a certain age. Seriously, how does one tell a Poise pad from an Always pad if you don't know the liquid color?

* Pretty much any ad for menstrual products. (This does include the Always pads.)
** This is partly because even ''advertising'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or a realistic colour.

* This trope has inspired no shortage of snark, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpy75q2DDow even from the companies themselves]].

[[caption-width-right:350:[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRf35wCmzWw The ads on TV are really helpful, because they use that blue liquid. And I'm like, "Oh! That's what's supposed to happen."]]]]

** This is partly because even ''advertizing'' menstrual products was banned until the 1980s, and then it was only allowed if any blood shown was not red or a realistic colour.