Giant Nurofen pill packet installation highlights the gender pain gap

Painkiller brand Nurofen unveiled a larger-than-life pill packet installation in central Newcastle to highlight that women’s pain is more often dismissed than men’s.

The two-day activation was produced by McCann London, in collaboration with IPG’s Momentum Worldwide and Chiswick Scenery, and ran on 27 and 28 September.

The installation builds on Nurofen’s gender pain gap research, which found that one in two women felt they have had their pain dismissed by family, friends and healthcare professionals, and aimed to spotlight the biases that lead to women’s pain being ignored or downplayed. 

Measuring 13 x 22 feet, the giant pill packet featured a screen displaying real-life stories from women describing being told their pain was “all in their head” or accused of being “too emotional”. 

As part of the activation, an all-female crew captured a series of vox pops featuring reactions from passers-by. 

The installation formed part of Nurofen’s “See my pain” brand platform, which was initially launched in November 2022.  

Mathieu Desbrandes, marketing manager at Reckitt Nurofen, said: “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.”