A Sudden Spectacle
A flash mob is a performance art phenomenon where a large group of people, organized in secret via social media or other digital channels, converges on a public space to perform a pre-arranged and synchronized act, typically a dance routine. After a few minutes of performance, the group disperses as quickly as it assembled, leaving onlookers surprised and entertained. The entire event is designed to appear spontaneous and surreal.
While flash mobs began in the early 2000s as a form of social experiment and artistic expression, their potential as a guerilla marketing tool was quickly recognized by advertisers. A well-executed flash mob can be a captivating public spectacle, and the goal for a marketing team is to ensure the performance is filmed by both professionals and bystanders, then shared widely online to become a viral marketing success.
Use in Film Promotion
Studios have used flash mobs to promote films with strong musical or dance elements. To build excitement for a movie musical, a studio might stage a flash mob in a busy train station or shopping mall, with dancers performing one of the film’s key numbers. For a horror film, a flash mob of actors dressed as zombies or other creatures could be used to create a surprising and shareable public scare. However, the popularity of the flash mob as a marketing tactic peaked in the early 2010s. As the format became more common, the element of surprise diminished, and audiences grew adept at recognizing them as corporate stunts rather than genuine, spontaneous events.