Giant Nurofen Pill Pack Spotlights the Gender Pain Gap

Nurofen’s Gender Pain Gap research reveals 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.

In collaboration with IPG’s Momentum Worldwide and Chiswick Scenery, McCann London produced an eye-catching, larger-than-life Nurofen pill packet installation in the heart of Newcastle. The two-day activation, which ran on the 27th and 28th of September, brought attention to the biases that cause women's pain to be dismissed or downplayed.

The towering installation, measuring 13x22 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 activation also featured powerful reactions from passers-by. 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 said, “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 said, “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.”