'I miss you, says I-Pill': Zepto apologizes for outrageous notification
Quick commerce platform Zepto has come under fire, for sending an unsolicited and inappropriate marketing message to a customer. The message read, "I miss you, Pallavi, says I-Pill Emergency Contraceptive pill." The recipient of the message was Pallavi Pareek, a legal expert specializing in workplace diversity and sexual harassment prevention. Zepto apologized to her for the message.
Recipient expresses outrage over insensitive message
Pareek took to LinkedIn to express her outrage over the insensitive message, saying, "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." Her post quickly went viral with over 2,300 likes. Pareek further questioned Zepto's intentions behind such a message asking, "You want me to have a need of taking an emergency contraceptive?"
Pareek criticizes Zepto's marketing approach
Pareek, who has 20 years of experience fighting for prevention of workplace sexual harassment and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), slammed Zepto's marketing strategy. She said, "Messaging is right only if it is sensitive or humorous or has some logic to it." She further added she draws a line when notifications are flirty or trying to be sleazy cheesy but this was a little too much.
Pareek's intention not to vilify Zepto or its products
In her LinkedIn post, Pareek made it clear that she wasn't trying to vilify Zepto or its products. "I love Zepto as an app. They are a huge backbone to my life," she wrote. Her post was meant to bring attention to the failures in marketing strategies that are devoid of sensitivity and understanding. This incident has triggered a larger debate on the role played by AI in marketing and the need for human oversight.
Zepto apologizes for 'thoughtless and potentially harmful' message
In the wake of the uproar, Zepto apologized, admitting that their message was "thoughtless and potentially harmful." The company said, "We understand how this was a misfire on a lot of levels." They assured users that immediate action had been taken to rectify the problem, including updates to its processes and retraining of its team. "We value your trust and well-being above all. This mistake won't happen again," they concluded.
