A Marketing Stunt Gone Wrong: Kerala readers fooled by futuristic news on front pages

On the morning of January 24, many Malayalees woke up to an astonishing headline splashed across the front pages of their trusted Malayalam dailies: "Indian Government to Ban Physical Currency Notes from February 1, Shift to Digital Currency." The story, which even quoted the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Prime Minister (without naming him), immediately triggered confusion and concern among readers. As it turned out, this was not news but part of a marketing campaign by Jain Deemed-to-be University for their "Future Summit."

The campaign, published as a “marketing feature,” left a trail of chaos, raising critical questions about the responsibility of legacy media, the vulnerability of readers to misinformation, and the blurred lines between advertising and credible journalism.

The Campaign That Fooled Many

The advertorials, which appeared on the front pages of more than 10 eading Malayalam newspapers, featured several futuristic “news” stories from the year 2050. These included:

• The Indian government’s supposed ban on physical currency notes.
• An interplanetary football match where Earth triumphed over Mars despite the challenges of gravity.
• The first anniversary of Kerala’s robot minister.

Although these stories were marked as a “marketing feature” in the top right corner and accompanied by disclaimers identifying them as fictitious, their design, layout, and prominence on the front page lent them an air of credibility. Another contributing factor was the ‘news’ on digital currency, which quoted the Prime Minister without naming him. The report also included quotes from fictitious figures such as ‘Finance Minister Rajeev Singh,’ ‘RBI Governor Dr. Aravind Kumar,’ and ‘Leader of Opposition Anjali Mehra,’ but these details did little to ease the concerns of some readers. For many, it evoked memories of the sudden demonetisation in 2016.

Given the context, it’s not surprising that readers believed these reports—they appeared on the front pages of trusted legacy newspapers. Many failed to notice the disclaimers, especially senior citizens, who make up 16.5% of Kerala’s population—the highest proportion in India.

Impact and Fallout

1.The immediate fallout from the advertorials was confusion and panic:

Banks Flooded with Calls: Bank managers reported numerous calls from concerned citizens asking how to handle their "black and white" money. VK Adarsh, Assistant General Manager of Union Bank of India, posted on X: “It seems that some people have become quite alarmed while discussing the news ethics behind the Malayalam newspapers’ front-page advertisement for Jain University. It was learnt that some bank branches and local offices of investment advisory firms have been receiving calls this morning asking what to do with the black and white money in their hands.”

2.People Shared Personal Experiences on Reddit: Users took to Reddit to share how the advertorials impacted them and their families. Some expressed confusion and surprise, while others recounted how their loved ones were misled by the front-page reports.

“So, I opened today’s Mathrubhumi, and it’s wild. One article is about an interplanetary football match on Mars—Earth apparently won despite the gravity. Another one celebrates the first anniversary of Kerala's robot minister. And then there's India ditching paper notes for cryptocurrency. I kept looking for a ‘this is satire’ disclaimer or something, but nope. Did I miss a memo, or did Mathrubhumi accidentally time travel? Someone tell me you saw this too,” wrote Reddit user nandu8701.

“My mom reads the Manorama e-paper on her tablet, and she fell for the digital currency news,” replied another user.

3.Media Professionals Fooled: Even senior journalists admitted to being momentarily convinced by the reports before realizing their true nature. Reporter TV consulting editor Arun Kumar presented it as one of the lead news stories during his morning show where newspaper reports are discussed. It was only several minutes into the discussion that he clarified the news wasn’t real. Journalist Binu Mathew wrote on Facebook: “I have been a journalist for 29 years. If it can confuse me, I wonder how many of Manorama’s readers were confused and panicked after reading the news! To my understanding, it blurs all ethics of journalism and advertisement. It is doing a great disservice to the readers.”

4.Facebook Users Shared Newspaper Clippings as Real News: Social media users in Kerala shared cropped clippings of the article on the paper currency ban, which excluded disclaimers placed at the top right and bottom of the front page. Some praised the union government’s “another bold move” to tackle black money. NewsMeter conducted a separate fact check on these posts.

The Role of Legacy Media

This incident exposed a significant misstep by the newspapers involved. By giving these advertorials the prime spot on their front pages, they made it harder for readers to distinguish between genuine news and paid content. Even though disclaimers were included, they were too subtle for most readers to notice.

These newspapers have been trusted sources of news for generations, especially for older readers who rely heavily on them. Allowing such features to masquerade as news risks eroding that trust, especially at a time when traditional media is competing fiercely with digital platforms.

University's Clarification and Apology

As the controversy surrounding the advertorials escalated, Dr. Tom M. Joseph, the Director of New Initiatives at Jain Deemed-to-be University, issued a formal clarification. In a statement, he urged readers to view the advertisements as a creative exercise, emphasizing that the content was meant to introduce readers to potential scientific advancements ahead of the university’s upcoming summit. Dr. Joseph said that the advertisements included disclaimers but expressed regret for the emotional distress caused to readers.

Lessons Learned

This episode offers some valuable takeaways for both the media and its readers:

• Transparency Is Key: Newspapers should make advertorials unmistakably different from regular news. Better labeling, clearer disclaimers, and placing such content away from prime editorial space can help.
• Media Literacy Matters: As the information landscape gets trickier, readers need tools and knowledge to identify what’s real and what’s promotional.
• Responsibility Counts: Media houses should think twice before running campaigns that might confuse or mislead, especially when public institutions and leaders are referenced.

The campaign by Jain Deemed-to-be University may have been creative, but it also highlighted how easily trust in legacy media can be shaken. In a world rife with misinformation, newspapers need to double down on credibility. This incident should encourage discussions about how the media can strike the right balance between innovation and integrity.