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Q: What do T-Mobile and Trident have in common?
A: Flashmobs

Flash what’s? Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary of English defines a flashmob as “a group of people who organise on the Internet and then quickly assemble in a public place, do something bizarre, and disperse”.

The only difference with the formal definition and the brands mentioned is that some smart, savvy advertising people have picked up on this social phenomenon and commercialised it. And if you haven’t cottoned on to this ‘on trend’ activity, have a look at the links below.

2009 is turning into an extraordinary year. We have belt-tightening, tough economic conditions that will probably take us well into 2010. And with it, the biggest shift in UK politics since the 40’s over MP’s expenses. It makes me wonder whether this great unraveling of those we elected into office would have happened in recent years when we weren’t too concerned with greedy bankers or cheating politicians?

There seems to be a fundamental distrust of all that once seemed so very sure – financial institutions, governments, expansiveness, bling and front. In my mind, we have closed the door on what I like to think of as a transaction economy and taken great big embracing leaps towards a relationship or social economy. Oh, and the now super sexy word ‘transparency’ is being flung about with gay abandon – with ‘personal impact’ a close second. We suddenly need each other again. It probably explains why my phone hasn’t stopped ringing with requests for talks and workshops on developing personal brands and soft skills.

And how we interact with each other is reflected by smart advertisers using flashmobs to sell stuff, Facebook reportedly producing a movie and Twitter a television series.  The great commercialisation of social media coming to you soon.

T-Mobile advert “Life’s for sharing”
2,200 people literally freeze frame in Sydney
3,000 in Paris
500 in Cologne have a pillow fight

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