Indian Startup Draws Criticism for Faking Staff Dismissals to Highlight Stress

An Indian beauty services startup has drawn significant criticism following a promotional campaign designed to bring attention to the issue of workplace stress. Several days prior, an internal email from Yes Madam circulated widely on social media platforms. This email had notified staff members that the company intended to “part ways” with individuals who had indicated experiencing work-related stress. However, on Tuesday, the startup issued a clarification, stating that no employees had been terminated and that the online communications were part of a “planned effort to highlight the serious issue of workplace stress”. The initiative has elicited diverse responses across online platforms. Some individuals commended it for bringing an important subject to the forefront, while others condemned the company for deceiving the public and “toying” with their emotions. Additionally, some users observed that the campaign effectively propelled a relatively unknown brand into public awareness within a short timeframe. On LinkedIn, one user commented: “Free promotion done right, huh? Who needs a marketing budget when you have outrage as your social media manager?” This incident is not an isolated case of a startup attracting controversy through a dubious promotional strategy. In the previous month, the founder of an Indian food delivery platform faced both praise and criticism after advertising a “chief of staff” role, stipulating that the successful applicant would receive no salary for a year and would instead be required to contribute two million rupees to the company’s non-profit initiative focused on feeding the impoverished. He subsequently asserted that over 10,000 individuals had applied for the position, though he did not specify whether any candidate was ultimately employed. In February, a public figure encountered significant online criticism after simulating her own death to raise awareness about cervical cancer. Numerous users expressed that the promotional tactic was profoundly distressing for individuals who had genuinely experienced the loss of loved ones to the disease. The marketing firm behind the campaign later issued an apology. Nevertheless, such contentious events have not deterred brands from extending advertising boundaries to unusual extremes. According to brand specialists, although these marketing ploys can propel a brand into public prominence, they do not inherently guarantee the company’s long-term viability or prosperity. Conversely, such actions could potentially inflict more damage than benefit. Karthik Srinivasan, a branding and communications consultant, states that brands must discern the distinction between hyperbole and outright falsehood. He explains: “Exaggeration is an accepted and successful advertising strategy, where a brand uses creative licence to push the limits of the truth to make a point.” He further notes: “But the exaggeration is so obvious or conspicuous that a consumer isn’t likely or expected to believe it.” As an illustration, he cites Axe deodorant commercials, which frequently depicted a slender man becoming irresistible to women immediately after applying the product. Another instance involved rapper Snoop Dogg, who garnered attention last year by declaring he was “giving up smoke,” only to disclose that he was referring to the use of a specific brand’s smokeless fire pit. In both scenarios, the exaggerations are so pronounced that they approach comical unreality. “But telling a blatant lie has no place in ethical advertising,” asserts Mr. Srinivasan. He explains that brands undertake such extreme campaigns because they can generate extensive publicity with minimal or no financial outlay. The strategy involves selecting subjects prone to eliciting powerful reactions, thereby guaranteeing public engagement with the campaign, regardless of sentiment, according to Mr. Srinivasan. Regarding the beauty startup’s widely shared campaign, the company’s email resonated with numerous professionals, who subsequently posted it on their LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter) profiles, expressing disapproval of the company’s perceived insensitivity and disregard for its workforce. Mr. Srinivasan clarifies: “Firing someone for being stressed at work is a serious issue and was definitely going to evoke strong reactions.” He further notes that campaigns of this nature can harm a brand’s or company’s standing among its staff and customers. “Credibility and trust take time to build and a brand will find it hard to shake off the negative publicity that comes with an insensitive ad campaign.” Mayank Sehgal, a marketing consultant, expresses a comparable perspective. He states: “It’s crucial for brands to prioritise ethical marketing practices and avoid using people’s emotions as a tool for self-promotion.” He concludes: “While attention-grabbing tactics may work in the short term, they ultimately erode trust and damage brand reputation.” Stay updated with BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.