Click-baiting? Yes, madam; Paying off? No, madam

In a world where brands are ditching the old-school charm of celebrity endorsements and emotional narratives, shock marketing has taken centre stage, leaving many to wonder: how far is too far? The recent uproar surrounding YesMadam, a home salon services company, has sparked a fiery debate on the ethics and effectiveness of shock tactics.

YesMadam recently made headlines by allegedly firing 100 employees for being "stressed." But plot twist! It turned out to be a campaign to spotlight workplace stress. The brand quickly backtracked, assuring the public, "No one was fired at YesMadam. We sincerely apologise for any distress caused by recent social media posts suggesting we dismissed employees for being stressed. Let us be clear: we would never take such an inhuman step."

The brand, which has appeared on the popular TV show Shark Tank, introduced a “de-stress leave policy” complete with spa sessions. Talk about a dramatic reveal.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Poonam Pandey stirred the pot earlier this year by announcing her own death due to cervical cancer—only to pop back up two days later, revealing it was a ploy to raise awareness about the HPV vaccine.

Alive and advocating? Poonam Pandey fakes her demise in publicity stunt

More recently, Zomato’s CEO, Deepinder Goyal, threw everyone for a loop with a job posting that required candidates to pay Rs 20 lakh for the privilege of working in the company. The next day, Goyal clarified that the exorbitant "fee" was merely a filter that attracted over 18,000 applications.

Zomato uses the 'Chief of Staff' row to its advantage in new print ad

While these stunts have garnered attention, they’ve also drawn backlash. Critics argue that such tactics are insensitive and risk alienating consumers. In the case of YesMadam, many speculated that the firing announcement was part of a marketing gimmick long before the company revealed its true intentions.

However, the question looms: can brands thrive on shock value without suffering long-term reputational damage? Experts weigh in.

Samriddh Dasgupta, chief business officer at Arata, a D2C beauty and personal care brand, believes that shock tactics can work if they align with public sentiment and the brand's vision.

A negative stance on real human issues can erode consumer trust.

Dasgupta’s advice to YesMadam for managing the negative backlash on social media is to hire a stronger brand consultant, define a clearer brand vision, and conduct a social sensitisation workshop for its marketing team.

Experts believe that creativity must not cross into manipulation, especially when dealing with serious issues like workplace stress.

"When creativity is used to genuinely inform or engage, it flourishes. However, exploiting emotions or using deception for shock value crosses into manipulation," warns Vikram Kharvi, CEO of Bloomingdale PR.

Kharvi notes that in YesMadam’s case, using workplace stress for a "gotcha moment" felt tone-deaf. Brands must remember that trust is much harder to rebuild than to lose.

Smaller brands attempting similar publicity tactics must ensure they have a long-term strategy to back up their brand positioning, Aman Dhall, founder, CommsCredible.

Aman Dhall, founder of PR firm CommsCredible, points out that smaller brands face greater reputational risks when attempting viral stunts. “When Zomato launched its bold scheme, it wasn’t surprising because the brand is known for such stunts. However, smaller brands attempting similar publicity tactics must ensure they have a long-term strategy to back up their brand positioning.”

In the digital world, where users flit from screen to screen like butterflies in a garden, snagging their attention has turned into quite the conundrum for marketers and communicators alike. Although views on the suitability of such antics might differ, they certainly enhance a brand's memorability.

But the virality alone doesn’t guarantee a clear understanding of a brand.

Piali Dasgupta Surendran, a fractional CMO and brand consultant, states that shock and awe, when used cleverly and in a tasteful, mindful manner, can be important narrative devices. She adds that when Yes Madam apparently "leaked HR email" hit the internet, most people had already started speculating that it is another one of those very badly devised PR stunts, gone terribly wrong.

"At the most what such stunts do is gain conversations and awareness around lesser-known brands. Many of us had not heard of YesMadam until yesterday. Today, everyone is talking about it."

If raising brand awareness through any desperate measure without thinking about the long-term consequences of such stunts was the only objective of this campaign, the brand has been successful," shares Surendran.

It’s not just about getting noticed; it’s about ensuring that people connect with what your brand truly represents, states Danish Malik, co-founder and CEO of Boomlet Group, an influencer marketing and crisis communication agency.

If the brand goes viral for the wrong reasons, widespread recognition won’t matter if the core message or service isn’t clear," says Danish Malik, co-founder and CEO of Boomlet Group.

According to Tarunjeet Rattan, the managing partner at Nucleus PR, these initiatives have a tendency to chip away at the credibility of PR and communications as a profession.

"Viral briefs are a thing of the past. If brands are still pursuing them, it's often to meet outdated expectations rather than a sound strategy. True marketing and PR professionals are focussed on understanding and serving their customers, safeguarding brand reputation, and ensuring the brand stays relevant in their lives," she says.