Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Why Do Stunts?

1. Last Friday, Z103.5, Halifax announced the lineup for their annual Summer Rush Concert and they decided to give away a pair of tickets to the show by doing something stupid. Morning Show Host Jeff Cogswell was dragged up to the top of Citadel Hill, wrapped in bubble wrap, and then was rolled to the bottom. That's when Halifax Regional Police arrived to arrest Jeff for violating a federal land statute (click to watch it).

2. The majority of college students live on a fixed budget, but the demographic is a highly targeted, desirable audience. Except in Amsterdam, where advertisers have found it difficult marketing to students on Dutch campuses and universities. They created a campaign for CoffeeCompany that infiltrated campuses and rewarded students with free coffee if they did something that might hurt their grades. (Read Amy Corr's Media Post take on the tactic)

3. Sprite is hoping that Europeans who see green will think of their product.

4. Meanwhile, the most successful world-wide stunt of the last week, Susan Boyle acting as a parable demonstrates our hunger for Mighty Metaphors according to Kendall Allen.

I don't know that every stunt has to be an uplifting reinforcement of all the good things that hopes and dreams of everyday people represent, but I do know that a stunt where no one thought to get a permit or chose to defy the law and ends in an arrest sends the wrong message about the product it was supposed to make more memorable.

2 comments:

Chris Harding said...

I can't believe that 'someone' didn't call Parks Canada and ask. I have never heard of that "9am" Federal Restriction.

Dan Baker said...

Cops need to promote that fun-sucking image that the uniform engenders as well, doncha know...a bylaw offense (just like a parking ticket) wouldn't have warranted a trip downtown if our hero had a piece of ID on him....(btw listen to the youth in the arresting constable's voice...undoubtedly a P1 that now has a "trophy" arrest....that jackass stuff goes both ways...)