Hello Class,
A good example of astroturfing is when Wal-Mart had taken over the advocacy group
called Working Families for Wal-Mart. This group was created by Wal-Mart to counter political-
style campaigns against the retailer started in 2005 by two large unions. This site was to be
utilized as a platform where employees and consumers are able to speak out in favor of the
world's largest retailer, rather than outside supporters. “We believe the best way to tell our story
is to bring Working Families for Wal-Mart 'in-house' and operate it as an internal program. We're
at a point where we no longer need a separate entity” (Nbcnews.com, 2023). Later it was
revealed that the posts were written by employees of the Edelman public relations firm who is a
paid client of Wal-Mart (Businessinsider.com, 2023). As an average consumer, generally when
one reads reviews on specific things that information is presented on, I believe that those reviews
should be able to provide me with reliable and accurate information.
Astroturfing is different from false advertising as astroturfing is utilized to manipulate a
consumer’s opinion and false advertising is knowingly and willingly misrepresenting something
different from what it actually is. If Coke were to say that their original receipt was sugar free
knowing that it is not, that would be false advertising.
References:
Businessinsider.com. (2023). 10 Fake Grassroots Movements Started By Corporations To Sway
Your Opinion.
Retrieved from:
https://www.businessinsider.com/astroturfing-grassroots-movements-
2011-9
Nbcnews.com. (2023). Wal-Mart to run advocacy group for Wal-Mart.
Retrieved from:
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna22349617
