Contraceptive marketing at university premises sparks debate

Reportedly, a contraceptive company was marketing its brand at local university premises in Karachi.

The campaign garnered the public’s attention as the photos of the brand’s marketing stunt started to circulate via social media, leaving people divided in their opinion.

Many of the marketing companies in Pakistan try different strategies to promote family planning and sexual and reproductive health respectfully, with a claim that it is clearly within Pakistan’s cultural context.

The marketing strategy certainly requires to hit at a certain target audience, however, this campaign has started a debate on social circles, why a university has to be the center target. As being reported, this was spotted the Dow medical university campus Karachi. As it was International Contraceptive Day, brand marketing came up with the idea.

Keeping the advertising history in view there are so many examples of various brands whose campaigns were banned due to being immoral, against society norms and for triggering controversies.

For this particular brand, Josh Condom TV commercial was slapped with a ban back in 2015, featuring Mathira. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) banned the advertisement calling it “immoral” and contrary to religious norms after receiving a deluge of complaints from the public.

Pakistan society is notoriously strait-laced when it comes to matters of sex, and an important issue of family planning is still considered a taboo subject by many.

But having a look at this brand’s stunt, no one will take this issue seriously, it will instead become a topic of laughter and debate.

There are many who are in favor of contraceptives to be promoted and to generate awareness badly about them. However, awareness is required to be created in a serious and thought to provoke ways through seminars or snippets during lectures, etc.

But this has only left people talking, which is not getting anywhere. The topic of safe sex awareness and family planning has been overshadowed by society’s haaww hayyee attitude.

Here is how the debate is being carried out on social media: