Start A Mob!

If you are a smaller business who has to really pay attention to your marketing budget or even a larger company looking to stand out and make a splash in a big way, you might want to consider flash mob marketing.

What is Flash Mob Marketing?

Flash Mob Marketing is the quintessential form of guerrilla marketing.  A flash mob is when a large group of people congregate suddenly in a public area, all do something unusual in unison, and then leave.  They can do dance moves, fall to the floor, stand like statues, etc.  The idea is to draw attention for a brand or message and what better way then for the public to suddenly be surrounded by random people doing the twist or something of that nature.

They are highly effective for that very reason.  Because they are so random and odd that you can’t help but stare.  Most folks are fascinated by flash mob behavior and will even look it up on the web to see how creative or crazy other mobs have been.  Searching for examples of this erratic behavior is a guilty pleasure for most.  That’s the beauty of it, people are fascinated and WILLpay attention.  They will also seek out your video after it’s posted online.

Why Are Flash Mobs Beneficial?

• Instant Recognition – As I stated above, flash mobs draw the eye but keep people interested long after they are over.  It’s because we are conditioned for certain behaviors or interactions at specific places or events.  When something flies against that norm that has been planted inside our minds, we are both trying to make sense of it and how it fits in to the place or event we are currently in but we are also fascinated at the intricacies of it – the message, the coordination, the creativity.  Because of this, flash mobs are heavily talked about.  People will share what they have seen with friends, family or even through social media which generates the most effective free marketing tool on Earth, word-of-mouth, and has people remembering your brand through those actions.
• Cost Is Free or Dirt Cheap – People will join flash mobs simply because they want to be a part of beautiful chaos for a moment in time.  The only cost you will ever have as a brand is the equipment you film it on and if you have to pay someone to share it across the internet.  If you have your own equipment, or even a smartphone with a great camera, and know how to market online yourself, your cost is ZERO.
• Online Gold – As I touched on above, flash mob videos are guilty pleasures for many and spread around social media and the internet like wildfire.  As a company, you can tie your flash mob video into a campaign you are currently running and then work on fine tuning a sales funnel or bot conversations in response to overall reaction to the video.

How To Create A Flash Mob

• What Are You Doing? – You need to decide what the goal of your flash mob is.  Are you trying to bring awareness to your brand, share a particular message or promote a product?  Once you figure out what you are trying to accomplish, you can start to factor in what the best actions your mob can take to make it happen.
• Mob Action – What will your mob be doing?  You can have them dance to a particular song, sing, stand still for several minutes, fall to the ground – whatever.  The idea is to be as creative as possible to get attention while it is happening.  Try to stand out from other flash mobs.  While a dance routine might be fun, it HAS been done before so maybe consider adding an extra element or two into the dance routine that might involve hidden talents you, your friends, your family or other mobsters might possess.
• Tune Up – If your actions involve music, be sure to pick a song that grabs attention.  You will need it to be heard so consider bringing a portable stereo with some serious speaker power.  Remember, you are going to be in a public place so that means an awfully large space or usually outdoors.  Upbeat songs work the best because they attract attention on their own.
• N’Sync – This is going to depend on what you want your mob to do.  Even if you are just having everyone stand still or fall to the ground, you will need to make an instructional video.  You want everyone who participates in your mob to be on the same page so explain how to do it visually.  The instructional video becomes even more important if you are putting together a dance routine or orchestrating several things to happen at once.  For more complex situations, such as a dance routine, get a few friends, family or co-workers that will be joining the mob to learn the moves with you while you film for others online.  This is crucial because those across the internet who show up to join your mob will need to practice those moves beforehand so your instructional video is the most important key to the entire event.
• Perfect Timing – The point of a flash mob is to draw attention so you want to hit a public place that is highly trafficked.  Choose a date and time that the location will be the busiest.  Try to target a locale that no one expects crazy behavior such as a train station, a promenade, a local beach, etc.
• Surprise! – What makes a flash mob successful is the element of surprise.  You are trying to catch the public off-guard so try not publicize your event too gregariously.  It’s important that the public in that location not know a flash mob is going to take place until it is happening.  Try to keep as much of it under wraps as possible.
• Film, Film, Film – If you don’t film it, it didn’t happen.  The reason flash mobs are such a wonderful form of marketing is because the videos spread throughout the internet.  Make sure either you or someone else – a friend or someone you hire – is on scene and ready to capture all of the action.  Ideally, you want several people there to film so you have multiple angles of the action.  Don’t forget to have someone tape the crowd’s reactions.  That is extremely important.  Have someone taking video from above the flash mob so you can show the entire scale of the performance.  Seeing the sheer volume of people is highly impressive.  They can catch it from the roof of a nearby building or an upper level of the facility you are in.
• Share – A flash mob usually only lasts a minute or two, if that, but the fun doesn’t end there.  Edit your video and share it EVERYWHERE.  This is a way to advertise your business or message so you want eyeballs glued to it.  Get it on your blog or blast links out to social media so everyone can enjoy your performance.

Flash Mobs are a great way to stand out from your competition and generate a significant buzz from FREE advertising.  The most effort going into them is figuring out what to do and breaking it down for others to learn.  It is just as effective today as it was when it first started gaining public interest.  Consider organizing a flash mob to promote your next campaign, product or just to bring more awareness to your company.

If you find yourself a little short on the time needed to launch a full scale marketing plan or feel like you might be missing something, give us a call and find out how we can help.