Call me a cynic, call me a marketer.

UK maxipad brand, Bodyform, hit the social-sphere running this week with its funny and brilliant video “response” to a satirical Facebook post (um, rant) written by a guy named Richard Neill who was disappointed to find out that his girlfriend turns into the disjointed twin of Linda Blair when she has her period, contrary to depictions of menstruating women in sanitary pad advertising who wear white pants and do cartwheels.

The agency responded quickly (within a week) by posting a hilarious video on Facebook addressing Neill’s complaint. An actress playing the brand’s fake CEO fesses up to misleading everyone about the joys of menstruation and ends the video with a fart. No kidding. Funny. Funny. Funny.  Social media is on fire with praise for the video and the agency. The earned media is off the charts good.

I don’t buy it. Not the great video (it’s memorable), but the authenticity of Richard Neill’s rant. As a creative marketer and storyteller and social media community member, it appears to me that the Facebook wall post is the brilliant set up to the joke. Call me a cynic, call me a marketer, but Richard Neill’s writing is just too on brand to be believable.

Social media is supposed to be grounded in authenticity, but, in this case, I think, not so much. I am disappointed that so many of us can’t see this for what it is: a brilliant integrated marketing campaign that so cleverly breaks through the clutter from launch to finish.

There are, of course, larger implications: that brands, causes, politicos, can and will plant fake stuff in social media to promote their messages thus negating the contract of authenticity implicit in social media engagement. But that’s just advertising.

I’m not sure how I feel about being misled this time. The campaign is so clever and fun, maybe in this case I’ll give authenticity a pass. And, I’m happy to admit my error if I’m wrong about the planted post. But, Richard Neill, I can’t find you on Linkedin. Your Facebook profile is mighty sketchy and you don’t really seem to be working for anyone. So, can you please let me know if I’m right? Because I just might want to hire you for my next integrated campaign.