Hoax Marketing – How Far Can Clickbait Go?

Model and social media influencer Poonam Pandey made waves with a controversial marketing tactic that stunned, confused, and outraged netizens. Social media users expressed grief and shock after Poonam Pandey’s abrupt death, owing to cervical cancer, according to a post on her official page on February 2. This episode has brought up important issues regarding the limits of celebrity culture, hoax marketing, and creating outrageous awareness on digital media in a world where social media influencers compete for attention. The media people behind this believed that launching this campaign one day after the budget for vaccinations was announced made perfect sense for “moment marketing”!  

Although many people were taken aback by Pandey’s recent publicity stunt, it wasn’t the first time marketers have utilized hoax marketing to stand out in ads and campaigns. More recent examples of marketing pranks include the time that Ranbir Kapoor threw an Oppo phone as part of the smartphone maker’s campaign or the time when HDFC’s Vigil Aunty morphed into Nora Fatehi as part of their “EOSS” campaign against deep fakes.

Such stunts have made it necessary for the viewers to exercise caution when consuming any news. Falsifying information and tricking the public are not, however, new concepts in marketing. Although hoax marketing has been around for a while, it has recently been more well-known as a gimmicky tactic used by businesses to raise awareness and connect with consumers.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that the loudest noise isn’t necessarily the most effective, despite the lure of attention-grabbing strategies and hoax marketing. First of all, it trivializes important topics and offends individuals concerned if not done with sensitivity. Additionally, it results in a betrayal of customer confidence in brands. Customers respect authenticity and playing on emotions to get clicks breeds doubt and damages the reputation of the entire industry. Although it could create a buzz, real engagement takes time to develop.

Image Credits: Freepik

What’s concerning is that hoax marketing might end up becoming a marketing team’s KPI (key performance indicator). In the future, there may be more advertisements and campaigns like this attempting to catch our attention. But at what cost? In the long term, it can confuse us and render us insensitive to serious messaging. Poonam’s cervical cancer campaign is concerning because, generally speaking, fake news is spreading, and promoting an untrue narrative will make consumers even more wary of advertising messages.

Furthermore, digital media has been a favorite platform for hoax marketing because of its wide reach, ease of sharing, and ability to become viral. The distinction between genuine promotion and fraudulent tactics sometimes becomes blurry in the noise of modern advertising, leaving customers confused and at times angry.

The use of personal unfortunate events for commercial gain raises ethical questions, which are sparked by hoax marketing. In the digital era, where attention is limited and competition for attention is intense, Poonam Pandey’s stunt highlights the extent individuals would go to gain fame, even if it means standing on the edge of a disaster.

Authenticity of information has always been a problem, affecting society and companies alike in both print and digital media. Due to the quick and extensive dissemination of information, especially on social networks, millions of people may experience immediate negative effects in the real world from biased incorrect, or false data. Public concerns about this issue have sparked conversations about ways to lessen its effects.

Concerns about people’s ability to differentiate between real and fake information amid information overload are becoming more widespread in society. Even if they are tech-savvy, young people have trouble spotting false news; 44% of them admit to being confused by it. Furthermore, 31% of children between the ages of 10 and 18 have shared false or misleading news articles online. This issue draws attention to more general problems with digital literacy that go beyond the usage of technology.

The journalism sector and media environment are undergoing major changes at the same time. Big social media companies like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon now have a lot of sway over how the material is published, who sees it, and how much it costs. Amidst these challenges, determining the accuracy of information found online becomes crucial. The emergence of social media as the main news source worsens the situation as real and fake news merge discreetly.

Several general approaches addressing the issue involve using human interaction to confirm information: Users in Germany and the United States can report false articles on Facebook through the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). Some global media outlets employ techniques such as browser extensions (Decodex, for example) to detect false information. Additionally, algorithms are employed to combat false news algorithms: Although algorithms are a part of the issue, they may also aid in its resolution by locating and approving reliable information sources. However current algorithms need the requisite resilience.

Image Credits: Freepik

Modern-day communication and marketing professionals have to keep an eye on several matters, fight back against the tactics used by those who spread false information to damage people’s reputations, deal with the mounting pressure on companies to demonstrate their social responsibility, make good use of social media, and comprehend the dynamics of corporate engagement with stakeholder-driven media.

 Although some contend that controlling perspectives violates the right to free speech, it’s important to recognize that this right has boundaries, particularly when it causes harm or fraud.