Not that it should come as any surprise that twitter is being used as a flash mob aggregator. However, the fact that a couple of tiny Keorean/Mexican (Kogi) rolling restaurants are using it as half scavenger hunt, half "foodie" pool is incredibly cool! I've been a big fan of flash mobs, not simply from the tech trend factor but also from the performance art aspect of pooling like-minded people together. Let's review some of the better designs for this thinking:
• Pillow Fight – As you would guess the concept is simple. Driven most often by SMS texts people spread the word about a time and a place for a giant pillow fight. Appropriate client: pillow company, Bath & Body Works
• Zombie Walk – While mapping up on the theatrics a bit the zombie walk is, again, much what you would expect with the caveat of some extra make up and the love for brains. Appropriate client: movie opening, publicity stunt
• Silent Disco / Mobile Clubbing– Take an FM frequency and casts it within a given area for participants to listen to through their own receivers. Ergo, the adjacent populous sees people seemingly dancing together without music. Appropriate client: iPod, club opening, music release engagement
• Naked Bike Ride – While not a traditional flash mob as it simply requires much more planning it still has the grass root components of any basic gathering – sans apparel. Appropriate client: bike manufactures, body paint : )
• Improv Everywhere – are a group of performance artists that have been "causing scenes" for almost ten years. They're an amazingly talented group that not only creates performance art in public places but engages the audiences to participate if only for a moment within the context of the scene. Appropirate client: Just about any client with the balls to do something progressive.
With all that said how should you fold that into your media mix? Frankly, you probably can't, but you can start thinking that there are ways that you can make something as boring as a lunch wagon and turn it into an engaging experience.