Wakefit has taken a cheeky dig at controversial marketing tactics in its latest campaign, #Gaddagiri, and the latest is a playful short film featuring Poonam Pandey. The sleep solutions brand’s advertisement shines a spotlight on Pandey’s infamous stunt earlier this year, where she faked her own death to raise awareness about cervical cancer.
The new ad film showcases a marketing team brainstorming ideas for Pandey’s comeback, suggesting outlandish schemes ranging from fake divorces to joining a political party. The punchline lands when an executive jokingly proposes “faking your death,” to which Pandey, donning sunglasses, appears to respond with a nod, but it’s revealed that she had dozed off. The tagline: “Lafda tab hota, jab tum barabar nahi sota” (Trouble begins when you don’t sleep well).
Pandey’s controversial stunt earlier this year caused widespread confusion, with initial reports leading many to believe she had died. It was later revealed as a campaign to draw attention to cervical cancer, sparking heated debates. While the stunt succeeded in raising awareness and driving online searches for the disease, it also drew sharp criticism, prompting an apology from the digital agency involved.
Wakefit’s ‘Gaddagiri’ campaign is no stranger to taking jabs at marketing blunders, having previously critiqued stunts by brands like Zomato and YesMadam.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
