Sometimes there’s a fine line between puffery and fraud—but this isn’t one of those times. Los Angeles-based heavy metal band Threatin audaciously booked an entire European tour based on a wholly fabricated fanbase, deceptively-edited footage suggesting that band packs music venues, and frontman Jered Threatin posing as his own booking agent. Getting his comeuppance, Threatin built it, but they didn’t come.
Lest business ethics students think the distinction between immaterial and material misrepresentations is always blurry, Threatin offers a clear-cut case of the latter. Read the whole thing. >>>
LINK: L.A. Band Threatin Faked a Fanbase To Land a European Tour No One Attended (by VINCE NEILSTEIN for Metalsucks)
Talking up your own band a little bit to make it appear that you’re more popular than you are is a rite of passage for young acts. We’ve heard of plenty of bands that’ve exaggerated sales or live show numbers to land a gig or two, or talked themselves up to national media for some press attention. It comes with the territory, and it’s usually harmless.
But the Los Angeles band Threatin have taken that idea to a level previously thought unimaginable: the band was able to book an entire tour of Europe despite having no fanbase whatsoever, and it’s all in the process of crashing down around them.
To do it, the band’s frontman and leader, Jered Threatin, posed as a nonexistent booking agent / promoter to land the gigs, used faked live footage of allegedly packed shows in L.A., bought Facebook likes, event RSVPs and YouTube views and lied about ticket sales numbers to swindle venue owners and talent buyers into taking on the shows. . . .
What do you think?
Brought to you by:
Business Ethics Highlights 
Recent Comments