Never really thought about this, but what if we showed them having a positive response without showing what the results were? Then the audience can decide.
this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2026
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The positive reaction to a positive test tends to be elation. The positive reaction to a negative test tends to be relief.
They aren't really the same and to be honest it would be better if it was explicit and both were included. I seem to recall such a commercial already exists, but am too lazy to find it.
Edit: oh, it was posted in another comment Clear Blue did just that in 2021
That's an excellent idea.
It should still be pretty obvious what the results were, as "OMG I'm pregnant!!!" and "ohthankgod I'm not pregnant" are two very different expressions.
Not necessarily, both can often result in very mixed feelings.
Nah, you just need art direction. Show someone waiting for the test. They look anxious. Show their stereotyped hourglass timer finish counting, they pick up the test, read the unshown result, close their eyes and give a "not anxious anymore" smile while they take a deep breath, the camera panning up and over towards a sunny window just as their reaction expression hints at showing.
You're not selling pregnant or not pregnant. You're selling not worrying or knowing. So you don't need to convey the emotion of the result, just the emotion of "no longer anxious to find out".
If they have a drink or a multivitamin afterwards is aside from what you're selling.
pregnanception totem
Maybe a little bit of both? After all, the target demographic for pregnancy tests include both those that are, and those that aren't trying to get pregnant.
The ad would be memorable and hilarious if it showed both couples celebrating.
Or a positive test and they're panicking and crying lol
I'd venture a guess that many more women are relieved when it's negative, than thrilled when it's positive.
I mean, ymmv. People trying to get pregnant will be going through tests a lot faster than people who are on contraception or simply celibate. Accidental pregnancies are a lot rarer today than they were even a few decades ago.
I feel like I’ve seen an ad that said something along the lines of “whatever result you’re hoping for, we can get it sooner and more accurately than blah blah” and it showed several different (happy/relieved) reactions to the results without clearly stating what the results were
No i want it to include all the reactions. including this one
representation matters
And walking out of an abortion clinic with a spring in their step and the promise of a bright future without an unwanted child ruining their life
Well a lot of women don’t necessarily celebrate it—fetuses have to be aborted for many reasons and come with many emotions. But I think you’ve got the spirit.
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Wanting better representation in ads is a desire I can't relate to at all. Because fuck ads, I'd go out of my way to avoid knowing what content they contain at all.
Though this does bring to mind some condom commercials from back before I effectively removed most advertisements from my life.
Don't they already do this?
I've definitely seen one that was 2 pictures. 1 a couple, obviously hoping for a positive. The other a lone teen/20s girl, obviously hoping for a negative. The caption was along other lines of "Here's hoping for the result you want."
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Wouldn't that be more effective for a birth control pill commercial.
you shouldn't need a commercial for that lol.
commercials have traditionally been trying to sell you the idea that the product will improve your life somehow. you'll gain wealth, class, friends or just have a good time.
a baby gives you none of those things. in fact, the pregnancy test commercial is one of the few that deviates from the norm. whoa! look how excited we are that we have another mouth to feed and have to endure the stench of poop for 4 years!
a baby gives you none of those things.
Wait, what? Nobody has ever gained wealth through the success of a child, class status through having a large family, friends made through a child's social network, or a good time with their kids?
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an accurate negative pregnancy test does.
I think the taboo aspect here is that it would imply sex can be something done for fun rather than procreation.
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