Joe Mazzola, Will Magrann, Emily SloanFLASH MOBS

Brief Background

Created by Bill Wasik in Manhattan in May 2003

“….a social experiment designed to poke fun at hipsters and highlight the cultural atmosphere of conformity….”

Unsuccessful first attempt after the intended retail store heard about the plan

First successful attempt on June 3, 2003 in a Macy’s department store with over 130 people

Flash Mobs in Social Media

Easy access to social media outlets through cell phones has made the flash mob phenomenon grow exponentially since its creation almost a decade ago

Worldwide Pillow Fight Day

5,000 people in 35 different cities around the world in 2008

Event on Facebook, typically occurs near the end of March

Social Media outlets are the event’s primary tool to let public know what will be happening and when

Villanova Flash Mob

On the first day of classes for the Fall 2011 Semester, Father Peter, Jay Wright, and others surprised students in the quad by doing a flash mob dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXahHC9Gsfo

Businesses Utilizing Flash Mobs

Cell phone companies such as AT&T and T-Mobile have used flash mobs in recent commercials to promote their products

http://youtu.be/bd8ppk0UCx8

Companies, like Proctor & Gamble, have used Flash Mobs to promote their products

- 2007 “Catch Kisses” campaign to promote their new mouthwash

Flash Mob America

Organization whose “sole purpose is to create Joy through Surprise”

Nationwide production company

Started in 2009 to honor Michael Jackson

International Debate Over Flash Mobs

Not all flash mobs are harmless and lighthearted

Some countries have made laws against them

Russia, for example, has specific legal restrictions against large groups of people gathering in public

Flash Mob Debate on a Local Scale

Flash Mobs in Philadelphia have turned into riots

Original intent of flash mobs, to “shake up the norm”, has turned into violent outbreaks

City threatened to extend curfew in Philly

Discussion Questions

Do you think it was a coincidence that Flash Mobs & Social Media emerged and became popular at the same time?

Does the government need to do more to regulate Flash Mobs in areas where recent events have become especially violent?

Will Flash Mobs be a lasting pastime? Or will they turn into one of our culture’s many passing fads?

Bibliography

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_mobs• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjNwjtHVxKs• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd8ppk0UCx8• http://www.flashmobamerica.com/who-we-are/• http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/us/25mobs.html• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXahHC9Gsfo• http://s.wsj.net/article/SB120814163599712081.html• http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1066&bih=562

&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=cgz2v3mlezSHIM:&imgrefurl=http://www.onlisareinsradar.com/archives/mobs_smart_and_flash/&docid=Fw2DDTXX4wVD0M&imgurl=http://www.lisarein.com/ktvu/8-07-03-ktvu-flashmob-1.jpg&w=621&h=479&ei=IrIwT-S7F4nV0QHnnpnmBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=12&dur=395&hovh=167&hovw=210&tx=204&ty=32&sig=107839725500093864536&page=3&tbnh=161&tbnw=200&start=20&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:20

• http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1066&bih=562&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=rTfe7QI3yGG4jM:&imgrefurl=http://anishbkumar.blogspot.com/2011/12/flash-mob.html&docid=WZ5t8eD65oozHM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zkIM9Lp6-jQ/TvAeEy5IYfI/AAAAAAAADI4/Ze-e1Wpn0dU/s1600/01%252BT5%252BFlash%252BMob.jpg&w=1059&h=1600&ei=IrIwT-S7F4nV0QHnnpnmBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=322&sig=107839725500093864536&page=3&tbnh=172&tbnw=119&start=20&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:20&tx=72&ty=92

• http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1066&bih=562&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=p8goUsiDzY6LlM:&imgrefurl=http://www.meetbethallen.com/the-torch-flash-mob/&docid=-BLC4ws2TPx8OM&imgurl=http://www.meetbethallen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/FlashMob.jpg&w=576&h=384&ei=IrIwT-S7F4nV0QHnnpnmBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=374&sig=107839725500093864536&page=3&tbnh=161&tbnw=215&start=20&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:20&tx=150&ty=50

• http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1066&bih=562&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=b9HvkZt8sS6rEM:&imgrefurl=http://www.simpledog.net/meet-the-flash-mob-sydney-opera-house-with-dannii-kylie/&docid=UZ7v7XyAu4l4eM&imgurl=http://simpledog.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Meet-The-Flash-Mob-%2540-Sydney-Opera-House-with-Dannii-Kylie-600x400.jpg&w=600&h=400&ei=IrIwT-S7F4nV0QHnnpnmBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=290&sig=107839725500093864536&page=5&tbnh=161&tbnw=212&start=44&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:44&tx=183&ty=103