I think the question of manipulating audiences with “real” footage to go viral has murky ethics. If the parkour ad had all the usual “professional stunts. do not attempt” legal language, it would not have gone viral.
For another example, the woman who stands up to bullies 2 minutes into this viral Burger King video is a paid actor, even though they imply this is all hidden camera footage.
Like the parkour ad, the reason it went viral is because it is presented as real. It’s a rip-off faked version of those “what would you do?” hidden camera scenarios that people love. “Woke” brands faking videos for a noble cause are just another version of shady marketing. It’s called “borrowed interest” in advertising.
