When indie-rock band Geese’s album ‘Getting Killed’ dropped last year, it seemed like the dawn of something new. However, recent revelations suggest their rising star might just be a product of clever marketing rather than genuine talent.

The band worked with Chaotic Good, who create thousands of social media accounts to manufacture trends. This isn’t just about rock stars; it’s now a common tactic in the tech startup world too. Startup founders are mirroring the same playbook, using armies of teenagers on Discord or buying iPhones for hundreds of accounts to fabricate viral success stories.

Marketing strategies have become so pervasive that when you learn the truth, it feels like discovering the Tooth Fairy isn’t real — a hunch that something is amiss but hope that the trends are genuine. Chaotic Good’s co-founder Andrew Spelman explained: ‘We’re essentially running a creator farm, paying college students to make videos about our clients.’

While this might seem like a game of manipulation, it’s now just how marketing works. Phia, a fashion app co-founded by Bill Gates’ daughter, uses similar tactics with its ten creators posting twice daily. For Geese, being called an industry plant is an insult, but for many bands and startups, it’s the reality.