McCann London has worked with IPG’s Momentum and Chiswick Scenery to produce and install a larger-than-life pill packet in the heart of Newcastle. The towering installation, measuring 13×22 feet, demanded attention with a screen that displayed real-life accounts of pain dismissal. These stories echo the countless instances where women are told their pain is ‘all in their head’ or that they are being ‘too emotional,’ reminding the public of the urgent need for change in society.
The two-day activation, that ran on September 27 and 28, brought attention to the biases that cause women’s pain to be dismissed or downplayed.
The idea was born fromNurofen’s Gender Pain Gap research, which revealed that while pain dismissal is common, women are disproportionately affected. One in two women feel they have had their pain dismissed. Nurofen is working to change this by bringing the issue to the forefront of public awareness.
The activation triggered powerful reactions from passersby. The emotional impact of hearing women’s pain stories first-hand, combined with the shocking statistics of pain dismissal, resonated deeply with the crowd. The stories, captured through a series of vox pops by an all-female crew, emphasised the importance of amplifying women’s voices in the fight to close the Gender Pain Gap.
This initiative was part of Nurofen’s ongoing See My Pain brand platform, launched in November 2022, with a continued focus on raising awareness of gender biases in pain management.
Mathieu Desbrandes, marketing manager at Reckitt Nurofen, stated,“We believe that pain is personal and that no one, regardless of their gender or any other characteristic that could be a basis for discrimination, should have their pain dismissed or underestimated. Our goal with this activation is to amplify the voices of women whose pain has been ignored, and to catalyse awareness and action towards equality in pain management and treatment. The teams at McCann London, Momentum and Chiswick Scenery have been incredible to work with and have brought this to life in a way we could never have imagined! This activation and its upcoming amplification serve as a fantastic new prompt to demonstrate Nurofen’s commitment to fighting the gender biases that prevent women from receiving appropriate and timely treatment for their pain.”
Regan Warner, executive creative director at McCann London, added, “The pill pack mirrors the scale of the Gender Pain Gap, making it impossible to ignore. You can skip an ad, but you can’t walk past this striking reminder of the pain women endure. The installation forces everyone to confront the issue directly. It was deeply moving to witness the raw emotion of women sharing their stories, alongside the shocked reactions of people reading the real dismissals women have faced when seeking treatment. This truly highlighted the prevalence and deep impact of the Gender Pain Gap in countless women’s lives.”
Credits
Client: Reckitt [Nurofen]
Marketing Manager: Mathieu Desbrandes
Assistant Brand Manager: Kyna Will
Creative Agency: McCann London
Executive Creative Director: Regan Warner
Creatives: Ran Stallard & Amanda Devarajan – Creative
Global Executive Creative Director: Ioana Filip
CEO: Polly McMorrow
Business Director: Morgan Lafferty
Account Director: Kimren Dhesi
Senior Project Manager: Lauren Adamson
Global Business Lead: Katie Edwards
Chief Strategy Officer: Mel Arrow
Strategy Director: Jocelyn Major
Senior Designer: Roland Williams
Junior Designer: Lexie Hoskins
Production: Craft (part of McCann Worldgroup)
Executive Producer: Susie Lau
PR Photographer: Robbie Maynard
Experience Production: Momentum Worldwide
UK Senior Account Director: Helen Burnett
UK Senior Account Executive: Olivia Palfrey
UK Event Producer: Hannah Campbell
UK Director of Content Production: Natalie Barrass
UK Creative Producer: Mimi Harmer
UK BTS DOP/ Timelapse: Bronac McNeill
UK Production Coordinator: Liv Davies
UK Production Director: Olly Dean
Content Production: Sister Motion
Director & drone: Nicky Woodhouse
2nd Camera: Maria Caruana Galizia
Sound: Erin Millican
Build Production: Simon Ireland @ Chiswick Scenery & Andrew Ibbott @ Media Powerhouse
PR Agency: Golin
Executive Director: Victoria Brophy
Director, VP: Jack Thompson
Media: Zenith