Why Are So Many Brands Faking Scandals?

Why Are So Many Brands Faking Scandals?

From The Debrief by The Business of Fashion

May 13, 2026 · 20 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the trend of brands using 'rage bait' to drive engagement in the beauty industry and its implications for consumer trust.

The beauty industry is currently 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 squares, the strategy bets that a negative or confused reaction is more valuable than no reaction at all in a world where attention is the ultimate currency. In this episode, BoF’s Sheena Butler-Young talks to Business of Beauty Executive Editor Priya Rao, and Senior Editorial Associate Rachael Griffiths about whether these high-risk stunts build genuine brand equity or simply erode long-term consumer trust. Key Insights: The Engagement-Sales Gap : While rage bait excels at awareness and can grab people’s attention, there is no direct, proven line to immediate sales. Success is currently measured through the "halo effect" on other posts and metrics like shares and saves rather than conversion. The "Boy Who…

People in this episode

Host: Sheena Butler-Young

Guests: Priya Rao, Rachael Griffiths

Topics covered

  • marketing strategies
  • brand trust
  • consumer engagement
  • beauty industry
  • social media trends

Keywords

  • rage bait
  • brand equity
  • consumer trust
  • marketing saturation
  • social media engagement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lancôme, ColourPop, Business of Fashion

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