TO: Lisa M. Stevens, Account Executive
FROM: Grace McKevitt, Junior Account Executive
DATE: Jan 27, 2021
SUBJECT: Ethical Concerns of the Eternals Advertisement
I write this memo to you to bring awareness to the ethical concerns surrounding the advertisement for Marvel Studio’s new movie “The Eternals.” This advertisement is intended to appear on the front page of USA Today disguised as a news article about the discovery of a new race of immortal humans. This memo aims to determine if presenting this advertisement as true and factual journalistic news will negatively impact the reputation of the USA Today publication.
The proposition made by Marvel Studios intends to elevate consumer engagement with this particular Marvel venture by giving the film a more realistic feel. Marvel aims to make the concept behind “The Eternals” vivid and authentic to readers of our newspaper. Although Marvel plans to include a disclaimer at the bottom of the front page which states that the piece is fictional and an advertisement, I fear this is insufficient.
I am aware of our brand’s previous endeavors that may appear similar to the advertisement proposed by Marvel Studios. Specifically, we have permitted similar advertising tactics in the past with films such as Netflix’s “Sweet Tooth” and “Back to the Future Part II”. However, I am afraid that the political climate today does not provide us with a promising environment to run this ad.
A small disclaimer on a one-page ad is not sufficient to combat the claims of “faux news” USA Today will surely receive by pursuing this partnership. Advertisements must be explicitly identifiable by consumers, and when we blur the line between advertisements and news, our consumers begin to feel as if our monetary benefits outweigh our true mission: to inform the American Public. Additionally, despite Marvel Studios agreeing to include a disclaimer at the bottom of the advertisement, defining the page as fiction, this does not outweigh the possibility that consumers will take the story literally.
I raise the concern that readers will not be able to identify the fictional content because that is precisely the experience our brand had with the movie “Sweet Tooth.” This specific advertisement also took over our front page with tabloid-like headlines about new hybrid species discovered during the pandemic. One headline read “General calls hybrids a threat to national security; Activists fight back,” all intended to invoke the reader’s curiosity, fear, and confusion.
Consumers were not afraid to let USA Today know that the confusion instilled by the advertisement was unacceptable. By the morning the advertisement was released, the paper was trending on Twitter, and not in a positive way. Reporter Charles Pulliam-Moore claimed that “Netflix's Sweet Tooth ads embodied USA Today’s willingness to put its financial needs before its integrity,” (Pulliam-Moore, 2021). Pulliam-Moore’s main issue with the advertisement was how slyly it disclosed the fictional nature of the story. Aside from the small disclaimer included at the top of the paper, every other detail of the paper’s cover “Suggested that they were hard news meant to be taken at face value,” (Pulliam-Moore, 2021).
As a reputable news source, USA Today has an interest in preserving the validity of our products. To yet again allow our front page to be overtaken by an advertisement cleverly disguised as a news story, our consumers will indefinitely grow weary of our reporting style. Moreover, the concerns about “faux news” continue to penetrate the media industry. Even the most reputable and trustworthy news sources are forced to combat claims of fake news daily. Our organization must avoid claims of dishonesty or falsity at all costs.
This issue is only getting perpetually worse. According to a poll by Gallup, the trust and confidence Americans have in the media have dipped to the second-lowest in history. Specifically, this poll shows us that only 36% of people say they have either a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the modern media and news industry (Brenan, 2021). Moreover, Pew Research Center’s study in 2016 showed that 23% of Americans “say they have shared a made-up news story – either knowingly or not,” (Barthel, Mitchell & Holcomb, 2016). As the lines between real and fake news continue to widen and skew, we have an interest in preserving the reputation of not only our brand but the news industry as a whole. By running a fake advertisement that looks like and contains all of the same qualities as a regular news story, this notion of unreliable journalism will only be further supported.
In order to preserve the exceptional reputation USA Today has worked so hard to build, I hope you now see why pursuing the advertising contract with Marvel Studios is a grave mistake for our brand. If we move forward, our readers will know we didn’t care when they were upset about our partnership with “Sweet Tooth.” Moreover, our readers will know we prioritize monetary resources over the opinions of our readers.
I hope my attempt to persuade you away from the advertising deal with Marvel Studios has been compelling and insightful. Please reach out to me with any further questions or concerns.
Works Cited
Barthel, M. Mitchell, A. & Holcomb, J. (2016, Dec. 15). Many Americans Believe Fake News is Sowing Confusion. (Pew Research Center). Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/
Brenan, M. (2021, Oct. 7). American’s Trust in Media Dips to Secon Lowest on Record. (Gallup). Retrieved from: https://news.gallup.com/poll/355526/americans-trust-media-dips-second-lowest-record.aspx
Pulliam-Moore, C. (2021, June 8). Netflix's Sweet Tooth Advertorial in USA Today Was Beyond Irresponsible. (Gizmodo). Retrieved from: https://gizmodo.com/netflixs-sweet-tooth-advertorial-in-usa-today-was-beyon-1847049426