What Do Sponsored Posts That Tend to Go Viral for the Wrong Reasons Have in Common?
This article was automatically translated from the Japanese original. Read the original in Japanese
Exaggerated claims of effectiveness, comparisons with competitors, and unclear PR labeling are common patterns that tend to spark backlash against sponsored collaboration posts. All three types of expression easily leave viewers with an impression of "insincerity," making them prone to concentrated criticism. Conversely, simply checking for these three points before publishing can eliminate much of the risk of backlash in advance.
Why Exaggerated Claims of Effectiveness Trigger Backlash
Expressions that diverge from actual experience tend to create a sense of discomfort when viewers try the same product themselves. Assertive phrases such as "you will definitely see results" or "everyone is satisfied" become targets for criticism as soon as even one person has a different experience.
Why Comparisons with Competitors Trigger Backlash
Expressions that explicitly name other brands or services to claim superiority or inferiority tend to invite backlash from fans or stakeholders of the compared party, and can even escalate into disputes between brands. Communicating the merits of your own product and bringing up competitors are two entirely different acts.
Why Unclear PR Labeling Triggers Backlash
As discussed in What Is PR Labeling for Sponsored Collaboration Posts? The Basics of Stealth Marketing Regulations and Practical Approaches, posts that appear to conceal the fact that they are advertisements are easily flagged as stealth marketing. As also discussed in What to Do If a Sponsored Collaboration Post Is Published Without PR Labeling, correcting a post after publication involves far more effort and risk than checking beforehand.
How Should These Three Points Be Checked Before Publishing?
Incorporating these three points as checklist items into the confirmation process discussed in How Far Can You Go When Requesting Corrections from Influencers? helps prevent oversights. Rather than meticulously proofreading the entire piece of content, focusing the review on just these three points also keeps the confirmation process from becoming a mere formality.
While it's impossible to reduce the risk of backlash to zero completely, we believe that simply checking for these three common patterns before publishing can help avoid much of the risk that is avoidable.