BENGALURU: On Friday, a post on actor-model Poonam Pandey’s official social media account announced her untimely demise due to cervical cancer. But within 24 hours, Pandey returned to social media informing that she was alive and kicking, and the whole episode was an attempt to raise awareness about cervical cancer. But given the sensitive nature of this matter at hand, the stunt that Pandey hoped to pull off didn’t do well with many even as some justified the act to be in line with client and audience demands.
Sandalwood actor Chaithra J Achar points out that being a public figure comes with responsibility. “The news was disturbing, and I don’t understand why she agreed to do something like this. Even if I have to put some crucial information out there, I don’t think I will choose the path of death which is sensitive,” says Achar, adding that a stunt like this can also do damage to one’s credibility.
Agrees content creator Rida Tharana, who has close to 10 lakh followers on social media. “Drawing a line is important, especially when you’re a public figure with a large following. There are better ways to create awareness than faking death. Stunts like these question the credibility of the person,” she says.
Apart from credibility issues, it has also brought in the question of ‘shock news’ or ‘click baits’ that the internet is filled with. While Pandey’s campaign backfired to a large extent, similar campaigns that were carefully planned with sensitivity have previously found success. Nithin Koshy, co-founder of Now Media, says agencies carefully consider ethical and legal implications and typically have crisis management plans in place.
“The strategic use of controversy is often driven by client demands for content that stands out. It’s important to recognise that the inclination towards shock value is a response to the current audience engagement trends. Unfortunately, it has become a quick method for drawing attention to important matters, reflecting a shift in how messages need to be delivered to make a significant impact. While not always the ideal approach, this tactic has emerged as a rapid way to spotlight critical issues in a crowded informational landscape,” says Koshy.
Prashanth Nair, an advertising professional, finds the incident distasteful since it manipulates emotions. “I value shock as a tool to be able to cause a specific kind of impact. Shock has an important role to play to make people notice something you are wanting to say. This specific instance is unique to its time because with social media and digital presence, we, as people, feel we know these celebrities personally. Impactful advertising uses shock but here, it’s is deception and which has led to believing something that is not true,” explains Nair.
