We’ve all seen fake news stories pop up on Facebook and Twitter. 2014 included a ton of great, yet fake, stories such as the LeBron James “Space Jam” sequel, and the woman with three breasts. Unfortunately, it’s easy for a news story to get out of control, especially when some reporters are more concerned with speed than accuracy.
What happens when these fake stories are intentional? It’s a lot easier to get press coverage with the unique, unusual, and adorable. Check out the clip above from “Nathan For You” to see just how easy it can be to go viral.
Here’s a couple examples of stories invented for publicity.
Jesus Loves Kit Kat
When I first began my advertising minor, our professor showed us an example of viral content; the Kit Kat Jesus. This story broke in Europe through a Dutch news site due to a fake email from a European agency. The image was shared on over 150,000 websites, including several news sites, for a grand total of zero dollars.
The image was created purely for publicity. The relevance to recent Jesus imagery stories and Good Friday made the image spread like wildfire.
Chicken Chain “Steals” Big Mango
Another big story from 2014 was the theft of an Australian tourist attraction, a 10-ton mango statue. The theft made headlines around the world. There were photos, footage, media releases–but no police report was made.
The “theft” was actually a publicity stunt orchestrated by a Sydney advertising agency. The Australian chicken chain, Nando’s, used the stunt and following news coverage to promote a new mango-flavored sauce.
Is It Ethical?
When it comes to the ethics of using a blatantly fake story for publicity, the answer should be pretty obvious. While the execution of these stories seems innocent, it still stems from false information. These stories can lead to great results, but can also lead to lack of trust in the future. I know I’m a lot more skeptical than I used to be when I see unusual stories online.
What do you think about fabricating stories for press coverage? Share your thoughts below.
fox in color 