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People are using Ghost In The Shell's new viral marketing campaign to attack its whitewashing

Don't ever trust the internet

People are using Ghost In The Shell's new viral marketing campaign to attack its whitewashing
13 March 2017

The live-action adaptation of Ghost In The Shell has had quite the rocky ride so far, and it’s not even out yet. The main bone of contention is that they cast Scarlett Johannson, a white lady, in the main role of The Major, a character that was Japanese in the original manga and anime. Whitewashing is currently a big issue in Hollywood, and this is only one of the instances provoking internet outrage, with Iron FistThe Great Wall and Doctor Strange all getting accused of it, too.

Another thing that is rather popular on the internet, is people hijacking PR campaigns and entirely ruining them (or making them better) – who can forget the Pringles debacle a couple of years ago:

We are not to be trusted. This has been proven and evidenced in Ghost In The Shell’s latest interactive campaign – essentially you’re asked to upload a picture and alter a caption to answer one of the film’s central questions: “Who are you?”

Unfortunately for the marketing team, this has happened: 

If anyone, anywhere has said something bad about your movie, do not invite the entire internet to create any user-generated content around it. It will not end well. Why haven’t people learned by now?