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Poonam Pandey, a model and social media influencer, made headlines with a controversial marketing stunt that left netizens shocked, confused, and critical.
Source: (1)
On February 2, a post on her official profile claimed that Poonam Pandey had passed away, citing cervical cancer as the cause of her sudden death. The confirmation from Pandey's media manager sparked an outpouring of grief and shock on social media.
However, the suddenness of her alleged death raised concerns among netizens, especially given her active presence on social media just days prior. Despite the announced news, Poonam Pandey was seen alive and well in a video released the following day.
Source: (2)
To regain her credibility, she revealed that the entire episode was a fabricated scenario intended to raise awareness about cervical cancer. Regardless of her intentions, netizens were outspoken in their criticism, labelling it the:
"worst publicity stunt ever" and condemning the insensitivity of faking one's death for attention.
Following the announcement of Pandey's death, reports of her family going missing fueled the controversy. Adding to the conspiracy, an interview surfaced in which Poonam Pandey hinted at a 'big surprise' just before her alleged death.
This, combined with her history of sensational behaviour, fueled questions about the veracity of her actions. Schbang, a marketing agency backed the controversial stunt releasing a statement on Instagram. They posted the metrics, highlighting a successful negative campaign that raised awareness of Cervical Cancer and also agreed to its involvement in the stunt.
Source: (3)
This move blurred the lines between reality and promotion, raising ethical concerns about the use of such drastic measures to raise awareness. However, netizens are still divided over whether Poonam Pandey’s intentions were noble or merely an ill-conceived stunt.
The incident has sparked a debate about the ethics of using personal tragedies for promotional purposes. Since in the digital age where attention is fleeting and competition for the spotlight is fierce, Poonam Pandey's stunt exemplifies the lengths some people will go to gain publicity, even if it means walking a fine line between triumph and tragedy.
What do you think, is this negative marketing strategy a big win or a big loss?
