Newspapers these days are embracing a new trend to drive home their message.
After DNA and Dainik Jagran published blank front pages to make a point against cricket match with Pakistan and hunger in India respectively, now Mid-day has also come up with a similar strategy.
On Monday (June 12) the newspaper left its first page blank and printed a cheeky caption in an ad to promote PepsiCo’s recently introduced Pepsi Black (a zero-sugar cola in cans).
It said, Cool with zero news. Not with Zero taste.
Predictably, that soon backfired. Many on Twitter were not impressed and slammed the newspaper for taking its readers for granted
If this is how we condescend to readers, no wonder journalism is facing a crisis. pic.twitter.com/QlklML8YsW
— naresh fernandes (@tajmahalfoxtrot) June 12, 2017
Can you call yourself a newspaper if you’re “cool with zero news”? 🤔 https://t.co/P9iSnyOflM
— Rahul Kalvapallé (@Kalvapalle) June 12, 2017
Others also questioned its journalistic standards and criticized it for promoting such unhealthy brands
It’s just cool-with-no-nutrition @PepsiIndia condescending. Not that @mid_day is a beacon of journalistic integrity.
— Anupama (@queenshinglish) June 12, 2017
Why the hell would a newspaper allow an ad that ridicules it??
— Abhishek Iyer (@abhishekiyer) June 12, 2017
Only in India. Not in any other country.
I found it disgusting even to buy newspapers in India.— Trilochana (@Trilochana888) June 12, 2017
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