2. What are Flash Mobs?
Group of people who mobilize on short notice to perform a
collective action
3. Types
random acts of dance in a shopping mall, marriage proposals to supporting
campaigns through dance in front of the houses of parliament
4. 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
5. 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.
8. Experience for the participants
Experience for the public
Gathering against loneliness
Fun
Widespread forms: Freeze – dance – sing
9. Marketing - companies
Experience for the consumer
Emotional link to the brand
Possibility to use viral and trendy tools
Sell a product or a service
10. Marketing - NGOs
Experience for the potential donator/activist
Emotional link to the organisation
Become well-known
Possibility to use viral or trendy tools
Encourage donations and self-consciousness
11. Flash robbery
Side effect of flash mobs
Takes advantage of a
large number of people to
commit an outlaw act
12. 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 meet
Because 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.
13. 1. Christmas Food Court Flash mob
Shares: 790,789
Views: 32,953,169
2. Flash Mob Black Eyed Peas
Shares: 245,034
Views: 10,150,938
3. The T-Mobile Dance
Shares: 176,318
Views: 32,096,096
And is then again being shared on Social Media Platform
Sharing
14. Why are they so popular?
o People become the show and the audience
o Fast, cheap
o Feeling to do something disruptive
o Internet component, yet allows you to see the virtual community made literal and
physical
o High potential to go viral
16. 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
17. “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
18. What’s next?
Thrives of this idea of a happening having happened, despite nothing actually having happen
Live installation?
Smart crowd?
Silent disco?
Flash song?
or simply
a production?
19. 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
20. “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.
21. 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?
