The Debrief | Why Are So Many Brands Faking Scandals?

The beauty industry is contending with marketing saturation, compounded by an overcrowded content ecosystem in which traditional metrics like follower counts and comments are often distorted by bots. To combat this, brands are turning to “rage bait” — content designed to trigger shock, anger or confusion and meant to drive shares and saves, which are now seen as more authentic indicators of engagement. From Lancôme’s “misdirected” PR mailers to ColourPop’s fake apology…