1. Mrisha Gupta
MC1-0063
Junior
Advertising Trainee
Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
FLASHMOB MEME
About
Flash Mob refers to any online-coordinated event in which an ad-hoc group of participants meet up at a central
location for various purposes. While certain flash mobs may convey a political or commercial message, they are
usually organized for the spontaneous amusement of the participants and bewilderment of bystanders.
Origin
The concept of improvising a public assembly was first denoted as a “smart mob” in author Howard Rheingold’s
book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution published in 2002. The term “flash mob” was coined a year later by
Harper’s Magazine senior editor Bill Wasik, who organized the first flash mob event at Macy’s department store in
New York City on June 3rd, 2003, following a failed attempt earlier in May.
Is there any End to it?
Like many other popular memes, Flash mobs too have reached a saturation level and very few have gone viral this
year. The uniqueness and Wow factor has faded off. But like many popular cultures, this too will make a comeback.
Progress in Culture
1) It began as Group dance for people to celebrate holidays, as a fun/amusement activity.
2) It started being used to bring attention to certain locations, with very less costs involved. Like - in Airports
(Lisbon, Heathrow, etc.), Railways (Liverpool street station, CST, etc.), Shopping Malls, etc.
3) These performances started being recorded and uploaded online. It became a craze onto itself as the videos
went viral.
4) This continuing craze online and on-ground garnered a lot of interest and these stories started being picked
up by mainstream media.
5) With this meme going online and being broadcasted, it became a global phenomenon from a US thing.
6) With increasing media and peoples interest in it, big companies jumped into the fray with huge budgets and
used Flash mob as a means for advertisement and branding.
7) Flash mobs started being infused into TV shows (Law & Order, Modern family, Weeds, etc.) and movies
(Step Up 4, etc.) following popular culture.
Co-opting
1) Love Rug Project
Arranged by Wasik via e-mail invites, more than 130 people gathered around an expensive rug on the ninth floor of
Macy’s under the premise that the group was shopping for a “love rug” to decorate their warehouse space in the
outskirts of New York.
2) Precursors
“Happenings,” a type of public performance art characterized by its nonlinear narratives and active audience
participation. In 2002, Charlie Todd launched the participatory group project Improv Everywhere with an event
known as “No Pants Subway Ride” Day in the New York City subway.

2. 3) Critical Mass
As early as in 1992, bicycling meet ups based on a related concept known as “Critical Mass” began to emerge
across the cities in the United States, which spread over 300 cities across the world by December 2003. The
purpose of the event is loosely defined beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time to travel as a
group through city or town. However, Critical Mass rides have been perceived as political protest and social
movement by the news media, particularly after the protest ride at the 2004 Republican National Convention in
Manhattan.
4) Improv Everywhere
Improv Everywhere is a comedy group loosely affiliated with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater that uses a blog
to arrange large-scale flash mob performances. Since its launch in 2002, Improv Everywhere has gained
prominence through a number of successful flash mob events including NYC No Pants Subway Ride, Freeze and
the MP3 Experiment. In one famous example, they coordinated over 200 participants to go into Grand Central
Station individually and at a freeze for a fixed amount of time all at the same cue.
5) Pillow Fight
Pillow Fight flash mobs are also very common, in which participants are invited to bring their own pillows and
engage in a pillow fight.
6) Break Out In Song
Break Out In Song is a group that coordinates amateur singers and dancers into large scale recreations of famous
musical numbers at notable New York City landmarks. An example is in which hundreds of participants posing as
tourists at the USS Intrepid suddenly break out into a rendition of Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes”, complete with a
tap dancing sequence.
7) Michael Jackson Tribute
Shortly after the death of Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009, a series of flash mobs were organized in North
America and Europe following the event in Stockholm, Sweden" in tribute his iconic dance from “Beat It.” Also the
very famous Philippines jail flash mob to his “All I want to say Is that”.
8) In Politics
Several interest groups have used flash mobs to raise awareness about political causes. On May 19th, 2010, San
Francisco based LGBT rights organization “Pride at Work” organized a flash mob set to the tune of Lady Gaga’s
“Bad Romance” in the lobby of a Hilton being boycotted for failing to provide equal rights to gay and lesbian
domestic partners of its co-workers.
9) In Marketing
Several public relations firms have incorporated Flash Mob as a way to promote products or to gain online buzz.
Trident’s Unwrapped was an internet media campaign that arranged several choreographed group scenes in high
profile landmarks.
10) Controversy: Flash Robs
Dubbed “flash rob,” the first criminal practice of flash mob was reported in April 2011, after about 20 people filed
into a high-end jeans store in Dupont Circle Washington D.C. and managed to get away with $20,000 in stock. A
“flash mob”-style theft.
11) Proposals – Marriage, proms, etc.
A lot of people started using the idea of Flash mob to propose to their girls in a dramatic over the top special
manner, taking help of family and friends and also professional performers.