Poonam Pandey's Death Hoax: A Bold Move or a Betrayal of Trust?

On Friday, Poonam Pandey's team announced her passing due to cervical cancer at the age of 32. This news was shared by her manager and posted on her official Instagram account. However, on Saturday, Poonam herself posted videos on Instagram refuting the claim and affirming her continued existence. She further clarified in the video that this stunt was specifically to create awareness regarding cervical cancer. The video was posted just a day before World Cancer Day.

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A post shared by Poonam Pandey (@poonampandeyreal)

While negative publicity is also considered a form of publicity, Kartik Srinivasan, a Communications Consultant, posted his views on LinkedIn, stating, "Another day, another fake news seeded as part of a campaign. Sure, the motive is noble, but way too many brands are indulging in this tactic that was once reserved only for April Fool's Day."

He highlighted previous campaigns that used fake news as a medium to promote their messages."This one comes on the back of several such campaigns - HDFC's recent campaign highlighting the dangers of deepfakes, Hindustan Times's Fever FM's fake 'farewell,' inspired by Monster's rebranding campaign, and actors Kajol, Dulquer Salman, and Ranbir Kapoor's 'fake' posts for brands, among many others."

He added, "At this rate, people may start suspecting anything and everything brands claim, including actual product features and promises. It would be useful to remember the children's tale, 'The boy who cried wolf' all over again."

Jaibeer Ahmad, Chief Transformation and Growth Officer at Havas India, commented, "Grab attention at any cost...that seems to be the ‘strategy’ for these brands. This ‘fake’ news is a new shortcut/formula. Since many of these have created ‘buzz,’ there is FOMO in creative brainstorms, with a 'they did it so we should do it too' mindset prevailing. On the other hand, leaving brand custodianship to the social media manager is a dangerous trend for the brand, not the consumer."

Anurag Deshwal, Director - Performance Marketing at GroupM Nexus (WPP), expressed his views, stating, "These people and PR teams associated with it should immediately be sidelined and boycotted. This is not a form of marketing. Marketing activities or awareness campaigns for any cause cannot issue false statements/messages. This is misleading people and also an act of personal benefit to increase a fan base on social media. If it is promoted by us/public, we are in the wrong direction. I'm sure 90% of people will agree to it. This, in turn, raises a big question on journalism, as death news turned into a publicity stunt the very next day."

Yatin Makkar, Associate Consultant at Pitchfork Partners Strategic Consulting, shared his thoughts on LinkedIn, "Tomorrow is WORLD CANCER DAY! To everyone who thought Poonam Pandey is dead, she’s running a campaign. See how she made the whole country talk about Cancer. Being a celebrity, faking her own death just to initiate conversation about Cervical Cancer is a very bold move because she knew that she would lose the trust of her fans."

Madhukar Kumar from Grey Cell PR also posted on LinkedIn expressing his views, "The intention behind her message – to cast a light on cervical cancer – is one we can all stand behind. This disease, after all, doesn't spare our mothers, sisters, or friends, and spreading awareness is the need of the hour. However, the approach of declaring her demise, albeit falsely, to grab the spotlight, is something that sits uncomfortably in the heart. It's like playing a prank that goes too far, leaving people not just startled but also pained, especially those who have seen their loved ones battle cancer. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been touched by this terrible disease, and we stand in solidarity with the struggle and strength that so many have shown.

We, as storytellers and custodians of messages, carry the weight of our words and must tread this path with care and sensitivity. In our industry, trust is the cornerstone. Once lost, it is very hard to rebuild. Let us not forget that with the immense power of social media, our words can travel faster than light. The last thing we want is to create a scenario where genuine messages are doubted, or worse, ignored, like just another forwarded message lost in the sea of WhatsApp chats."

He further added, "Whoever was the advisor or whichever is the agency behind, I believe that as communicators, our mantra should be to inform, engage, and inspire, not to shock and confuse. Let us craft campaigns that touch hearts without causing a scare, that encourage action without a shadow of doubt, and that build trust as solidly as the foundations of our ancient forts. After all, it is about making a difference, responsibly and respectfully, one message at a time."

In the video posted by Poonam, she mentioned her intention to create awareness about cervical cancer. However, social media was flooded with backlash.

Fuking cheap publicity stunt it was nothing else.. u guys think it’s funny ? U and ur PR team should be boycotted I swear.. bloody losers and to all the media portals we people here trust u that’s y we believed it.. shame on u all..

— Aly Goni (@AlyGoni) February 3, 2024

Some find it funny to use such unwarranted and insensitive approach in the name of "so called" Awareness. People suffering from #CervicalCancer go through living hell and some find it entitled to use it for PR! Sad state.

— Payal Ghosh? (@iampayalghosh) February 3, 2024

CHEAP PUBLICITY STUNT? : Model #PoonamPandey is alive. She claimed she did awareness using her "death"!!

Ab To iski Sach mein Mayyat Ho jayegi Kon Hi Isko condolences dega ?

#PoonamPandeyDeathpic.twitter.com/LfhpQjck8Z

— N E O ? (@TheSavageNeo) February 3, 2024

#PoonamPandey is alive. She wanted to spread awareness about Cervical Cancer. Because of her effort yesterday millions talked about cervical cancer. Hats off to her. pic.twitter.com/wBvFHmpNhS

— Dr Gaurav Garg (@DrGauravGarg4) February 3, 2024

The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting the Interim Budget for 2024-25 in Parliament. Sitharaman proposed a plan to encourage vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) to prevent cervical cancer. The eligibility criteria for the cervical cancer vaccination program were outlined to include girls in the age group of 9-14 years. However, specific details about the program were not revealed.