It’s no secret that brands tend to pull publicity stunts to try and gain attention on their products and campaigns but some of these publicity stunts tend to go a little too far.
In a now deleted post on Malaysian actor Iedil Putra’s Instagram page, it was said that the actor was missing since he had attended the premiere of the Netflix movie, Extraction 2, in Manila earlier this month.
While many showed concern for the wellbeing of the actor, others believed the entire thing was a publicity stunt especially considering he was spotted alive and well in his wife’s Instagram Stories.
Deciding to come clean, Netflix Malaysia revealed that his ‘disappearance’ is, indeed, a publicity stunt.
According to a report by Astro Awani, Netflix Malaysia has since apologised for the gimmick.
“We appreciate your concerns and inquiries regarding the recent online postings regarding Iedil’s disappearance. We want to assure everyone that this is part of a marketing promotion. Iedil is currently safe and sound.”
“We greatly appreciate your understanding and support at this time. Thank you for honouring Iedil’s commitment to his craft and work. More details about the campaign will be revealed soon,” they said.
And true enough, in replacement of the now-deleted missing persons post is a promotional video for Extraction 2 featuring local actors Aaron Aziz and Fify Azmi that centers around Iedil’s ‘disappearance’.
Despite clearing the air, people believe that brands should not use ‘missing persons’ as a promotional tactic.
“Who handled this media campaign, those who approved it are stupid too. Don’t joke about missing persons.”
“If this is just marketing then I really lost some respect for them. This is tasteless and not funny.”
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: Ross Butler & Lana Condor Were in KL Shooting Scenes for Their Upcoming Movie!
