Comments on: Viral Marketing…not: Boston Bomb Scare

By: Hayley

Hayley — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:46:55 +0000

Time Warner gave me a couple of laughs with this predicament, but also fortified several things for me about the importance of communication and proper pr efforts in the business world. This mess up by Time Warner should prove to the public just how important communication is with ALL actions. Why do you place suspicious boxes underneath bridges in some of the top cities of our nation while we are at an alert for terrorism? If the correct communication steps would have been taken by Time Warner towards these cities, much embarrassment and grief would have been avoided. I am not sure if Time Warner felt they did not need to notify and communicate with city officials that they were placing electronic devices underneath their bridges or if they just felt that they did not need to, but let this be a reminder that communications IS and ALWAYS will be important in the business world and all other areas of life. Hopefully Time Warner and the business world has learned a lesson from this mistake that can be avoided in the future. Until they improve on their communication skills and obviously “common sense” skills, they won’t be advancing too far out of the gunk they have gotten themselves in.

Thanks for the post and information keeping us updated on it!

By: John Cass

John Cass — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:58:57 +0000

I agree.

By: Susan Getgood

Susan Getgood — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 16:57:55 +0000

Thanks for all the comments on this post.

John, I don’t think the Globe article implied that younger folks thought it was okay and older ones didn’t, just that younger people recognized the critters. I saw your post with the comments from the MySpace users who thought the whole thing was ill-conceived. (http://pr.typepad.com/pr_communications/2007/02/aqua_teen_hunge.html)

And I’ve read posts from folks in the over-30 group who delight in making fun of Boston for not “getting it.” Sidebar: Boy, do I hate that phrase.

Net, I think we can assert a generation gap for whether folks recognized the characters, but not for whether people condemned or praised the campaign itself. That has more to do with one’s common sense than one’s age.

By: John Cass

John Cass — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 04:44:55 +0000

Susan, I think there were differences between the situation in Boston and other cities. The timing, the signs went up in two phases, and it was the second phase that produced the 911 calls. The placement of the signs, and coincidentally there were other suspicious reports at the same time. Including two pipe bombs that were found at a hospital.

I am also not sure about this generation argument, I found a posts from 20 year olds who did not think the stunt was a good idea.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:52:51 +0000

This marketing campaign was an innovative idea, but I think it went terribly wrong in the execution phase. I’d like to know more about the “packages” because I’m not sure I really get it. I mean, was the whole purpose for these devices to look like bombs? And if not, what was a person to DO with one if he was brave enough to go pick up this strange device in the middle of the city? I think the idea of having treasure hunt-type marketing campaigns is a good way to get your customers and audience involved, but as far as I can tell, no one had any idea this was going on. And in addition to this crazy stunt, the two guys who put the light-up devices out for Time Warner are absolutely ridiculous. The impromptu press conference, which was picked up by all the major news stations, should have embarrassed everyone at Time Warner. Yes, the campaign was a stunt, but it caused a whole lot of fear and worry all over the country. During the press conference these guys decided they wanted to talk about “70′s haircuts” instead of the issue at hand! What IS that? Where exactly was Time Warner’s damage control team? This campaign definitely flopped with me, and I think the citizens of Boston would say the same thing.

By: John Cass

John Cass — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:53:07 +0000

That overnight timing does make a difference. It would also be interesting to learn where each of the first signs were put and the second set.

By: Pivotal Relations Blog

Pivotal Relations Blog — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:09:17 +0000

Bomb Scare or Successful Marketing Ploy?

Yesterdays City wide bomb scare in Boston has been uncovered as a hastily planned guerilla marketing campaign to promote Carton Networks television series, Aqua TTeen Hunger Force. Granted the repercussions of this marketing…

By: John Cass

John Cass — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:54:39 +0000

Susan you are right. I don’t think the ethics codes cover this issue for WOMMA or the AMA. Just a simple telephone call could have averted a lot of confusion in the last few days.

By: Mary Schmidt

Mary Schmidt — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:21:54 +0000

Paranoia aside – this would have be terribly stupid and irresponsible even prior to 9/11. First responders have to treat all such things as real – and it’s a waste of their time (and taxpaper dollars) to have deal towith such tricks by cretins. And, what if – while they were dealing with the “stunt” – a real bomb had been placed elsewhere?

The agency and Time Warner should be be brought up on criminal charges and fined for the costs. If one of us lowly citizens did this – they’d throw us under the jail (and should.)

By: KoMarketing - Search Marketing Blog

KoMarketing - Search Marketing Blog — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:18:35 +0000

Marketing Gone Wrong? – Bomb Scare in Boston a Result of Viral Marketing Campaign

In an interesting turn of events, two Boston-area men go to court today in connection with a bizarre publicity stunt, as reported by WBZ. The two are allegedly responsible for placing more than three dozen illuminated electronic devices that were meant…