Unplugged

I just saw this commercial on TV. A man and a woman in a rowboat on a lake. They are talking about something (I wasn't really paying attention) when the woman points out that there is a hole in the bottom of the boat and it is leaking. The guy says something along the lines of "No problem, I can handle it." While he looks for something to plug the leak, the woman takes a tampon out of her purse, inserts it in the hole (removing the applicator and leaving the strings dangling for easy removal later, I guess) and stops the leak. Then it goes to the tag line about Tampax Pearl something or other.

Now, I realize that this commercial is not targeted at me but is comparing a woman's period to a leaky boat a good idea? What is the message they are trying to send? Is it like the old Secret deodorant commercials and they're saying "Strong enough for a boat...but made for a woman!"