Viral Marketing Effort Encites Bomb Scare
Thursday, February 1st, 2007
Viral marketing and bomb scares – two concepts few people anticipate being in the same news headline. But, that’s exactly what happened this week as a result of a viral campaign for Turner Broadcasting’s animated television show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” produced by its Adult Swim brand.
In nine cities across the country, the lighted, blinking electronic signs displaying a boxy-looking cartoon character caused barely a stir. But in Boston, the signs, some with protruding wires, sent a wave of panic across the city, bringing out bomb squads and prompting officials to shut down highways, bridges and part of the Charles River. Resulting in thousands of news stories within hours.
Two men, Peter Berdovsky, a freelance video artist, and Sean Stevens, both employed by Turner Broadcasting to place the magnetic devices for the stunt were arrested but released today on $2,500 bond.
It’s a mess. A very high profile mess. But does it spell disaster or mean viral/guerilla marketing will cease? Or even slow? Doubtful. Especially in light of how saturated the media marketplace is and how companies desperately look for ways to breakthrough the clutter. In fact one concern is whether, given the level of publicity and how quickly it was created, others will try to replicate a stunt like this. Turner, while perhaps a bit taken aback, has never had this high of profile. No typical guerilla campaign could have ever generated this. Even my Mother knew about the Aqua Teen Hunger Force (not that she would ever watch it). The impact may very well be determined by what happens legally.
The city of Boston is looking to file charges to recoup $500,000 of costs. Will the agency be fined or charged? Will Turner? Or both? Accoding to one blog post I read, it sounds like the agency that created the idea, Interference, may have some real problems on their hands relative to their conduct during the Boston panic.
Many feel this was an ill-thought and irresponsible campaign. Yet others think there has been massive overeaction to the whole thing. According to one report:
Young Bostonians familiar with the unconventional marketing tactics used by many companies tended to see the city’s reaction as unmitigated hysteria.
Tracy O’Connor, 34, a retail manager, called the police response “silly and insane,” contrasting it with that in other cities where no one reported concerns about the devices _ an advertising gimmick for the Cartoon Network show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”
“We’re the laughing stock,” she said.
And the story is far from winding down as Part II kicks in — the mockery of the Bostonian reaction. And this…and this…and this…and this…