In a rare mea culpa from a major Hollywood studio, 20th Century Fox is apologizing for an unconventional online ad campaign that it recently launched for “A Cure for Wellness,” a psychological horror movie from New Regency set to open Friday.
The digital campaign included several fake news sites designed to stoke public interest in the movie and perhaps some online outrage as well. The pages were designed to resemble local news sites, with names like the Sacramento Dispatch, Salt Lake City Guardian and NY Morning Post.
They featured fictitious headlines on topics including President Trump and abortion alongside headlines that reference the movie (“Screenings for Upcoming Psychological Thriller Result in Panic Attacks”).
On Thursday, a Fox spokesman issued a statement in which the studio apologized for the misleading campaign.
“In raising awareness for our films, we do our best to push the boundaries of traditional marketing in order to creatively express our message to consumers. In this case, we got it wrong. The digital campaign was inappropriate on every level, especially given the trust we work to build every day with our consumers,” the statement said.
“We have reviewed our internal approval process and made appropriate changes to ensure that every part of a campaign is elevated to and vetted by management in order to avoid this type of mistake in the future. We sincerely apologize.”
“A Cure for Wellness” is a brooding horror story about a young business executive (Dane DeHaan) who finds himself in dark psychological territory while visiting a European spa. The two-and-a-half-hour movie has received largely negative reviews and is expected to gross $6 million to $8 million domestically on its first weekend.
Fake news has generated enormous controversy during the recent presidential campaign and in the the months after Trump’s victory. The president’s opponents have accused fake news sites of spreading false information and swaying the election.
But the president and his supporters have turned the phrase against their foes, using it to describe CNN and other outlets like Buzzfeed that they claim have published or promoted misinformation.
In a call with investors this month, News Corp. Chief Executive Robert Thomson spoke about the issue, saying “digital distributors have long been a platform for the fake, the faux and the fallacious [and] have eroded the integrity of content by undermining its provenance.”
20th Century Fox is no longer part of News Corp. since the media giant was split in 2013. But News Corp. and the studio’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, have common ownership in the Murdoch family.
Caption A sneak peek at the Oscars’ Governors Ball preparations
This is what the Governors Ball will look like after the 89th Academy Awards ceremony.
This is what the Governors Ball will look like after the 89th Academy Awards ceremony.
Caption A sneak peek at the Oscars’ Governors Ball preparations
This is what the Governors Ball will look like after the 89th Academy Awards ceremony.
This is what the Governors Ball will look like after the 89th Academy Awards ceremony.
Caption Grammys 2017: Best moments
Highlights from the 2017 Grammy Awards at the Staples Center.
Highlights from the 2017 Grammy Awards at the Staples Center.
Caption Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein nominee for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein nominee for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein nominee for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Caption Adele’s acceptance speech at the Grammys
Adele tearfully thanked Beyonce while accepting her album of the year award for "25."
Adele tearfully thanked Beyonce while accepting her album of the year award for “25.”
Caption John Cale of Velvet Underground receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award
John Cale of Velvet Underground receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
John Cale of Velvet Underground receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
david.ng@latimes.com
@DavidNgLAT
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