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Welcome friends! Lovely to have you here. So where exactly is "here"? And what on earth is a ThinkerBelle? "Here" is a blog space on all things that interest this little strategist, namely design, social media and technology. I like to think that "ThinkerBelle" (my strategist persona) lives at the intersection of these three domains. I hope you enjoy this space, please comment and don't be a stranger. I appreciate you being here. Follow me in the tweetverse if you like @thaz7.
Latest
Flash mobs.
Impromptu dancing in the streets. What’s going on lately?? No, I’m not talking about the early 80’s Lionel Ritchie music video for All Night Long (although…) what I’m talking about this trend towards the infectious flash mob. While flash mobs are rooted in more serious foundation–political flash mobs for instance–are large groups of people who are mobilized by some kind of telecommunication (or social media now) to a brief, usually loud, public gathering. Lately this has been translated into flash mobs a part of a greater plan to “attack” -with fabulous choreography. West Side Story? Not at all. But it’s become a very popular viral marketing tactic. Whether it’s an ad campaign/stunt, TV show, awards show…impromptu dance is where it is at.
T-Mobile owns this flash mob phenomenon, perfected with Oprah’s 24th Anniversary show with the Black Eyed Peas, who turned the city of Chicago into an impromptu dance party brought. With Oprah using her *TMobile* phone to take pictures of the audience. From Life for Sharing’s performance piece in Trafalgar Square, TMobile is definitely cuing into something bigger.
It’s not just dance –although the dance phenom is also heating up– there’s something about collective joy that dancing can bring, especially the kind that’s depicted in these silly flash mobs, that is infectious. In an interesting article in the New York Times this weekend by Clive Thompson on the “epidemic nature of happiness” (article). As a nation we’re starting to awaken to hope again as the economy slowly starts to turn for the better. While our immediate reaction should be cautious optimism, these outbursts of joy seem to be speaking volumes of what we are REALLY feeling. With no end in sight, this joy and happiness will hopefully remain infectious as ever for as long as possible. And I personally, can’t wait to get caught at a Grand Central Station to a random flash mobbing…
Go ahead. Be happy. I dare you.
I couldn’t resist. Watch it. I won’t tell…
