This is quite common in markets where there are only two or three competitors: instead of focusing on showing why your product is good, you simply bash the competition.

Pepsi vs Coca-Cola is a great example. Elections in countries with only two parties is another perfect example of this.

It's been happening for a while and it will continue, since it yields results:

The ones educated enough limit themselves to a "sigh. seriously?" and keep on using what they know it's best for them.

Then there's the target market: the ignorant masses, who will fall to these strategies, prove them useful and validate them as good marketing strategies.

The funny thing here is that there's a similiar thread every 24 hours and people always react like this is something new, and like the company in turn is super evil for doing it.