Has something on the internet triggered you to the point that it evoked a strong sense of rage? Did you stop to engage, only to realise it’s a satire or simply done to provoke a reaction? Then you could be a victim of rage-baiting.
Rage-baiting is increasingly becoming a growth strategy. However, there are better ways, such as hopping on a trend or showcasing the brand story. Rage-baiting, though, seems to be a quick way to get a reaction.
What is rage-baiting?
Rage-baiting is an online tactic where the creator makes an outrageous opinion or a controversial comment with the deliberate intention of eliciting anger and outrage from viewers, provoking angry comments and indirectly increasing visibility and overall engagement.
Recently, Coldplay-gate stormed the internet when a couple on the jumbotron were caught being uncomfortable when put on the spotlight. This scandal sent everyone into a spiral, with the internet tracing the individuals involved to be the ‘CEO’ and ‘Head of People’ at Astronomer, a US-based data company. While this unravelled, a video claiming to be the CEO’s daughter went viral. Turns out, it was a stolen video – from someone who wasn’t the CEO’s daughter at all. (Well, the CEO has no daughters!). What was the point of this? It was a way to bank on the hype to promote a meditation app.
A claim to fame through stolen identity, banking on people’s emotions and a fragile situation that involves real people. All done for growth.
Here’s what rage-baiting essentially does:
Plays on human emotions:
The primary concept of rage-baiting hinges on human emotions. Marketing at its core has emotions and psychology intertwined, but intentionally creating a hostile online space can be perceived as vile, whether it is produced by a creator or a brand.
Creates a toxic online environment:
Rage-baiting has created a toxic ‘trend’ that thrives on negative reactions. It may be a harmless way for the creator to expand their reach, but it can have a triggering effect on others.
Short-term gains:
The gains from rage-baiting can be short-lived. While the engagement can be great in comparison to other forms of content style, your audience will soon spot the tactic. This might not only stop a response from the public, but soon turn into an easy way to drive away all of your traffic and engagement due to a lack of authenticity.
Why is rage-baiting popular?
- Algorithmic incentives: Rage-baiting is a quick and easy way to climb the algorithmic ladder. The raging comments, likes, and shares push the content to a wider audience.
If the cons outweigh the (next to nil!) pros of rage-baiting, why is it a thing? We discuss a few reasons:
- Attention-grabbing: Content designed as rage-bait will make you stop and interact with it. Even if one immediately realises, the content would have gained a few seconds of interaction. Serving the purpose for which it was made in the first place.
- Monetary gain: Rage-baiting is profitable for creators who rely on social stats to build their online presence. While it can be used for momentary success, it can still prove to be profitable.
Rage-baiting has a negative rep. It makes you wonder if brands would opt for a strategy that puts them in a negative light.
Are brands indulging in rage-baiting?
While creators and online influencers have been using rage-baiting as a growth strategy, one might wonder about what stance brands might have on this. You’d be surprised to learn that household names have been called out for using rage-baiting as a vile tactic in their promotions. An example is Heinz, when their Halloween-themed ‘It Ha Ha Has to be Heinz’ ad in America was called out for resemblances to Black Face.
They found themselves facing backlash (again!) for another OOH in London, raising concerns of rage-baiting. This ad looks like a normal interracial marriage at first glance, but it was perceived as having an underlying tone of racism. It showcases just one parent and leaves out the father, with stereotypical implications of black fathers not being present. While Heinz apologised for the ad, it was speculated that the casting team would’ve made a deliberate choice of direction, specifying the number of models they needed.
Did Heinz gain anything from this advert? Amidst all the flak, it got the attention it was looking for. It could’ve been forgotten, but this sparked a conversation. Perhaps that’s what Heinz was looking for in the sea of brands out there!
"For my brothers with daughters"
— Nels Abbey (@nelsabbey) October 4, 2024
Because, believe it or not, Black girls have Dads too. pic.twitter.com/LngrCCZ4rW
Rage-baiting may offer short-term algorithmic wins and momentary attention. But it often comes at the cost of trust, authenticity and mental well-being, both for the audience and the creator. It is a digital tactic that plays heavily on human psychology, exploiting emotional reactions to drive visibility and engagement. Even established brands can find themselves walking a fine line between provocation and insensitivity. Ultimately, rage-baiting raises important questions about ethical responsibility in content creation.
What would you do to choose your path to fame, build strategy over impulsivity and choose value over virality? Engage with us on social for more such topics.
