A promotion by R&B singer Ashanti’s marketing team is attracting the wrong type of attention. Fans visiting Ashanti’s personal website could send e-cards called Gotchagram’s to friends or enemies. The marketing ad campaign featured threatening emails, fake murders and shocking images.
According to CNN, the emails informed recipients that their lives were in danger and encouraged them to contact a fake investigator for more information. Those who clicked the link to contact the “detective” of “Universal Crime Network” were shown a video of a fake crime scene with their names written in blood.
The link transported recipients to a fictional news report about “a string of murders inspired by Ashanti’s music.” A phone number includes a message from Ashanti thanking people for buying her album.
Fans were encouraged to send threatening Gotchagrams to “lovers who scorned you”. Senders were given a weapon of choice and the type of murder they wanted to commit against the recipient.
The Gotchagram marketing campaign was discontinued once the complaints began rolling in.
All that and Ashanti’s album will still do triple cement.
