When the Google Street View car was spotted by Dan Thompson, a manager of a car repair shop in Edinburgh, and his mechanic Gary Kerry back in 2012, they decided to have a little fun by staging what has now become known as the 'street view murder.' Staging a 'killing' just for the cameras, they subsequently forgot about their practical joke until the police showed up a few months alter to investigate the street view murder.
Called in by a member of the public who caught sight of the gag, the police thankfully had a good laugh themselves after realizing the street view murder was staged. Of course, not all cops will be just as lenient if the act were to be repeated.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Practical Joke Publicity Stunts
- Companies could create effective advertising by staging and recording elaborate practical jokes that draw attention to their brand and generate viral buzz.
- Real-time Prank Safety Measures
- If companies are planning on staging public pranks, temporary safety measures, or a warning system should be put into place to prevent dangerous misunderstandings from happening.
- Viral Marketing Via Attention-grabbing Event
- Although a controversial practice, creating a public event specifically designed to go viral could draw enough interest to launch a product or lead to brand recognition.
Where This Applies
- Advertising Agencies
- Advertising agencies could capitalize on the trend by creating elaborate stunts designed to go viral, but do so with appropriate safety measures in mind.
- Entertainment Events
- Event organizers could create an immersive event that stages a similar 'murder' in a safe environment for attendees to create a distinctive and memorable experience.
- Social Media Platforms
- Social media companies could provide a platform for videos that can go viral to improve engagement, such as by designating an area in each city where people can upload their own elaborate public stunts.
