We don't know what Ashanti or her record label were thinking when they decided to use a fake news ad and a bloody "Gotchagram" site to promote her album. The viral marketing campaign failed and the website was pulled down by the record label after protests. Click here or on the image below to watch the controversial video on the Jezebel website.
Hoping to bring some notoriety to her new single and video “The Way That I Love You,” the marketing geniuses behind the former Murder Inc. princess have posted a fake news clip alleging that the music video (about a woman who gets revenge on a deceitful boyfriend by killing him) has inspired a rash of copycat crimes. Things get weird and uncomfortable when police at the fake crime scene find a blood-splattered message on the wall that reads “Black children will die.” The police name the main suspect in the crime “Commercial Hip Hop,” and “Commercial Hip Hop” wants to kill black children because they are “playing me like a fool.” What any of this has to do with the actual Ashanti video is beyond us, and the whole experience could not possibly make people more willing to invest in Ashanti’s new album The Declaration. source
But the blood-splattered video for her single "The Way That I Love You," and a related e-card that features fake news reports about a crime spree allegedly inspired by the revenge-minded clip, sparked a protest on Tuesday (June 10) in Los Angeles that called for the promotional stunt to be taken down.
The music video for the song implies that a spurned lover, played by Ashanti, exacts revenge on her cheating boyfriend by stabbing him to death, and the clip features images of blood-spattered walls, images that are repeated in an e-card promotion linked to from the official Ashanti homepage.
Visitors to the controversial site are greeted by a fake news headline from the UCN, the Universal Crime Network, which reports that, "police are investigating a recent wave of violence in New Jersey. The police commissioner has hinted that there may be a tie between the recent attacks and the music video for Universal/Motown recording artist Ashanti's single 'The Way That I Love You.' "
A fake news story on the site ends with the warning that police fear the prime suspect in the alleged string of killings, Victoria Jackson, "may be planning to open a big can of whoop-ass. Authorities have already expressed apprehension at the pending release of Ashanti's album, The Declaration, on June 3rd, fearful that the power of the album will lead to more violence. Only time will tell."
Less than 30 seconds after the site loads, a large knife, dripping with blood, carves out a box at the top of the page, and a menu pops up that lets users send a "Gotchagram" e-card/video to a friend or enemy. After putting in your name, the name of your friend and their "crime," a menu titled "Your Victim's Crime" drops down with such options as "sleeping around," "suspected sleeping around," "playing you like a fool" and "breaking your heart." The next drop-down menu, for "Weapon of Choice," features options such as "boot," "knife," "can," "sledgehammer," "rolling pin" and "guillotine." A glamorous shot of Ashanti in a tight gold mini-dress accompanies the "Gotchagram" box.
Once the information is input, users can click on a box to the left that launches a customized UCN news report featuring their information, including the victim's name splattered in blood on a wall, the weapon of choice, the sender's name in a fake newspaper headline and a reference to their home state. The clip ends with a plug for the album and a cartoonish voice reading the caveat, "Ashanti and Universal Music Group do not encourage or condone violence of any kind. This is for parody purposes only." source
I first got wind of Ashanti's "murdergrams" when my fellow blogger Juan covered it on HN.
Honestly I think it is getting a bit too much concern. Though I do feel it is in bad taste I don't find it all that bad. just a tasteless practical joke.
If the site hadn't gotten yanked down I probably would have gotten a person or two with it. ;)
Posted by: mike belgrove | June 12, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Man, what the hell is wrong with you !? "Just a tasteless joke"
Umm, okay. She had people thinking their was an actual serial killer on the loose who "wanted all black children killed." This is the most horrible thing I've ever heard. If this was a normal person, and not a celeberity who pulled this shit, they would be put in jail so fast ! SHE FAKED A MURDER SCENE ! She made people fear this was real ! She even went so far as to pull this "joke" on your friends. What the hell is wrong with her ! Of course she will not have any consequencies for this action, which is totally messed up. I think she should get in some form of trouble for faking a friggin murder ! And what did "all black children will be killed" have to do with anything? Sure, her new video has something to do with the girl killing her cheating boyfriend or whatever, but that took it way too far ! Its sick !!!!!!
Posted by: Ash ! | June 12, 2008 at 07:42 PM