FLASH MOBS

What are Flash Mobs?

Group of people who mobilize on short notice to perform a collective action

Types

random acts of dance in a shopping mall, marriage proposals to supporting campaigns through dance in front of the houses of parliament

Political Flash Mobs

Political activists have led to political change and actions in support of campaigns (e.g. The Arab spring)

Flash mobs usually lack a central power controlling the movements and actions

How?

Bulk text messaging platforms such as TXTMob and FrontlineSMS

First used by protesters at the U.S. Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2004

The key to a smart mob lies in its lightning-fast execution and mass distribution.

Flash celebrations

Why?Fun

Marketing (Companies/NGOs)

Flash robbery

Experience for the participants Experience for the public

Gathering against loneliness

Fun

Widespread forms: Freeze – dance – sing

Marketing - companies

Experience for the consumer Emotional link to the brand Possibility to use viral and trendy toolsSell a product or a service

Marketing - NGOs

Experience for the potential donator/activist Emotional link to the organisationBecome well-knownPossibility to use viral or trendy toolsEncourage donations and self-consciousness

Flash robbery

Side effect of flash mobs

Takes advantage of a large number of people to commit an outlaw act

Organisation

Generally formed through social media web sites (Facebook, Twitter…) as well as by email and text-messaging

Participants are told when and where to meetBecause participants almost always use mobile devices meeting places and times can change almost instantly

Key to the flash mob idea because surprise is part of the goal.

1. Christmas Food Court Flash mob Shares: 790,789Views:  32,953,169

2. Flash Mob Black Eyed PeasShares: 245,034Views: 10,150,938

3. The T-Mobile DanceShares: 176,318Views: 32,096,096

And is then again being shared on Social Media Platforms

Sharing

Why are they so popular?o People become the show and the audienceo Fast, cheap o Feeling to do something disruptiveo Internet component, yet allows you to see the virtual community made literal and

physicalo High potential to go viral

ViralityMany peopleHigh emotional contentInternet phenomenaEasy to shareEven better with a celebrity

How to make the world dance

20,000 people for a "Gangnam Style" flash mob held opposite the Eiffel Tower

Alerted on social media by the record label Universal Mercury

Whole event was over in 15 minutes

“The internet has literally come to life”

Communications technologies empower people

Military efficiency + complete anonymity + rapid communication

Notion of serious organisation for the purpose of something so potentially idiotic adds to the fun, as does the massive amount of media attention that these events attract

What’s next?

Thrives of this idea of a happening having happened, despite nothing actually having happened

Live installation?Smart crowd?Silent disco?Flash song?or simplya production?

Next big thing: Harlem Shake?

Went viral in Feb 2013

12,000 versions had been uploaded, gaining over 44 million views

As of February 15, about 40,000 Harlem Shake videos had been uploaded, totaling 175 million views

Baauer's single reached #1 on the iTunes America chart

“The simultaneous and the instantaneous world”

“There is no sequence. There is no logic”- McLuhan

Concept loses its validity with a certain crowd, but perhaps gains a new one.

How much was the movement a creation of the media?

How can we use these digital media so that they help us become empowered participants rather than passive consumers?