Deceptive advertising gimmicks by celebrities and brands
Deceptive advertising tactics are used by celebrities and brands to create viral buzz, here are some of the stunts used to increase audience engagement.
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In today’s changing dynamics of the advertising industry, the line between genuine promotion and deceptive tactics has blurred, leaving consumers puzzled and confused. Poonam Pandey’s fake death reports aimed at creating awareness about cervical cancer. However, the publicity stunt led to the actress facing several backlash from audiences and industry experts.
Advertising tactics similar to this incident have been implemented by various Bollywood stars and big brands, often causing consumer backlash and disillusionment.
Dulquer Salman
Dulquer Salman’s Instagram post describing his prolonged cycle of sleeplessness ultimately turned out to be a well planned stunt for promoting iQOO phone brand. The actor later removed the post, after facing controversy and backlash from fans. This incident highlighted the deceptive practices employed by brands to make the product viral, increasing the audience engagement.
Kajol
Kajol, in an attempt to promote her courtroom drama series ‘Trial’, had informed her fans that she was “facing one of the toughest trials" of her life. She also shared that she had decided to take a break from social media. Taking to Instagram, she wrote, "Taking a break from social media." However, this incident turned out to be a promotional stunt for Hotstar’s ‘Trial’. Concerned fans called her out on various social media platforms while others felt a sense of relief knowing that everything was fine with her.
Harsha Bhogle
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle faced controversy for reportedly staging his own kidnapping for the fantasy gaming platform Akhada, during a live session on Instagram. He later took to Twitter and clarified that he was fine and that the stunt was intended to be a joke, which backfired. This incident highlighted the ethical concerns in the gaming industry.
Snoop Dogg
American rapper and actor Snoop Dogg's "quitting smoke" move turned out to be a ‘Solo Stove’ campaign. The rap icon took to social media to share a 30-second clip announcing, "I'm giving up smoke," leaving fans confused and sceptical. This incident showcased the influence of the rapper even in the field of marketing.
Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor scripted a phone smashing incident where he allegedly broke a fan’s phone after taking a selfie. It was soon revealed that the video was part of an advertisement campaign for Oppo India. This staged incident was curated to generate a viral buzz but instead, it made people wonder about the authenticity of public stunts.
Shah Rukh Khan
To promote his movie ‘Fan’, bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan used a promotion gimmick. The actor took to X to express his shock about an incident that involved mysterious graffiti outside his home, Mannat. The graffiti said, ‘Luv U SRK. C U on 15th’. The messages were signed by 'Gaurav'. This publicity stunt initially caused confusion but the teaser's release clarified the purpose behind the graffiti.
