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.
![](https://www.gsdm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20230316_bloodyMaryMisogyny_3x2.jpg)
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.