That "exclusive" interview with Jax last week was clearly a paid promo

I watched that three part interview series they dropped with Jax from VPR last Tuesday, and something felt off right away. He kept pushing this one wellness app like five times in twenty minutes, even when the host tried to change the subject. Three years ago I worked in PR for a minor reality star, and we used the exact same trick planting product plugs inside scripted "personal stories." The giveaway was when Jax claimed he used the app since 2020, but a fan on the subreddit found a tweet from 2022 where he said he hated tracking stuff. The production company never disclosed it was sponsored, which is shady. Has anyone else caught these fake emotional interviews that are actually just commercials?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_claire4d agoTop Commenter

The timing of that app plug was so forced it was painful to watch, and that tweet proof really sealed it for me. It's frustrating how these networks get away with hiding paid content inside what's supposed to be a genuine interview.

ivan_harris4d ago

Yeah that whole segment felt like they forgot to blur out the ad copy before filming.

colescott4d ago

10 bucks says that "spontaneous" app endorsement was written into the contract four months before the cameras even rolled. They probably rehearsed it more than the actual questions. At least give us a blooper reel where the host trips over the promo code.