The emergency pill notification mess calls for sensitivity around women's reproductive health

What are the general feelings associated with emergencies? Women who have used an emergency contraceptive will tell you that it’s not a great feeling to have to use one. Of course, the fact that there are emergency pills that can save you from unwanted pregnancies is great. But having to actually use one? Not so much. 

Women will agree that we don’t really expect an app to casually tell us that an emergency contraceptive pill is missing us. It makes sense if we have been ordering a bag of chips every Friday and the app almost intuitively sent us a notification that the bag of chips is missing us. But emergency pill? Too far!

Recently, a woman named Pallavi Pareek received a notification from a shopping app that read, “I miss you, Pallavi. Says i-Pill emergency contraceptive pill.” Pareek didn’t hesitate to call out the poor marketing tactics via a LinkedIn post. “One, I have never ordered an emergency pill from you. Even if I did, you should know that this is not something that should be missing me or I should be missing it.”

Pareek asked all the right questions, “You want me to have a need of taking an emergency contraceptive?” This shouldn’t be something we take lightly nor an emergency pill because long time, no see! 

A little sensitivity would have been appreciated here, especially when women are in the middle of stirring up conversations on autonomy. “Messaging is right only if it is sensitive or humorous or has some logic to it. I draw a line when your notifications are flirty or trying to be sleazy cheesy. But this is a little too much,” expressed Pareek. 

The post went viral almost instantly and comments started pouring in. Someone wrote, “I think my groceries are getting a little too personal. I'm here for the fresh produce, not emergency products that miss me more than my ex!” We feel you! 

Having said that, the app was quick to apologise and confirm they had taken correctional measures. “We messed up, and we're truly sorry. We understand how thoughtless and potentially harmful this was…” they wrote. 

While the app did mess up, we’re glad that Pareek was able to start a conversation on the need for mindful marketing. It’s a reminder that brands must be mindful, especially when addressing something as personal as reproductive health.

Lead image credit: Pexels 

Also read: Gynaecologist and sexual health educator Dr Tanaya Narendra on the need to destigmatise sex