Bloody tax

At its 11th annual SXSW Party, GSD&M invited attendees to enjoy some “Bloody Mary Misogyny” in an effort to draw attention to the so-called tampon tax. Attendees had a choice of two drinks: The Bloody Mary, which came with a $1 luxury tax, and The Bloody Marc, which was free.

The initiative was created in partnership with Omniwomen, an Omnicom network group to support women leaders. Twenty-two states, including Texas (the conference takes place in Austin, the state capital), currently charge sales tax on period products. Women in the U.S. spend an estimated $120 million a year on sales tax for period products, according to GSD&M.

Bloody Mary Misogyny
Credit: GSD&M

The activation will be supported through paid social and print ads, as well as QR codes at SXSW events that will redirect people to BloodyTax.com.

Texas legislators are currently weighing a bill to repeal the tax.