Last year, T-Mobile UK debuted a commercial that featured 400 dancers at Liverpool Street Station. The ad, which has been seen over 19 million times on YouTube, even led to a Facebook-organized knock-off flash mob that shut down the same station a month later.
In Pakistan, the Keh Do campaign for Coca-Cola is attempting something similar, albeit on a much smaller scale. If you haven’t seen the very cute “Keh Do with Coke” commercial, see below:
(For you non-Urdu speakers, the song essentially tells you to say what’s on your mind, and in your heart and – surprise, surprise – say it with a Coca Cola. Cute, right?)
According to blogger Sehar Tariq, the company “has hired groups of young people – both boys and girls – to dance to the new Coca Cola jingle in crowded public places.” According to the Keh Do Facebook page, the group of urban (probably middle to upper class) youth, have randomly performed at shopping malls, restaurants, universities, and market places in Lahore and Karachi. Below is their performance at Karachi’s Park Towers:
Flash mobs have been occurring since 2003, using new media tools to not only organize crowds, but also to foster viral online sensations. The flash dance strategy, as used by companies T-Mobile and now Coke, is therefore a pretty savvy marketing tool because it’s using the universal appeal of dance to target and engage audiences. In the case of Coke, the kids are dancing to a catchy commercial jingle, that will at the very least catch your attention (if you’re a non-Grinch, it’ll make you smile). Even if you don’t drink Coke, you’d probably walk away humming the tune. At least I did.
(Thanks to Maria for passing on the link!)
Kalsoom
i saw the T-mobile performance live. for us it was the shock of our lives. My studio was close to liverpool street and luckily managed to witness that historic campaign:)
How lucky! I thought that commercial and the idea was so fab!
I also loved this one, that took place in Belgium:
Ooh, one more – not technically flash mob/dance, but the prisoners who did the Thriller dance in the Philippines:
[...] the Keh Do campaign for Coca-Cola is attempting something similar, […] Read more at: CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan boys and girls, chup, coca cola jingle, cup of tea, drink coke, flash dance, flash mob, flash [...]
im digging this. more please.
Check out the Keh Do uncut Youtube channel for all the videos of them:
http://www.youtube.com/user/KehDoUncut
Hey check out the Oprah 25th jubilee celebration wala flash dance. I swear if anything can instill a good feeling in a city it would be something like this!!
Imagine having been part of this. I think I would have been on a high for weeks after this!
Awesome! Did you see the one I uploaded on Facebook a few days ago? Check it out!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CttB6FmMgT4
not loving it. its a bit awkward when there’s just a handful. the whole fun is when the ‘mob’ is so big it ends up consuming and infiltrating the actual crowd.
but i guess it’s an innovative marketing tool that no other brand here has used yet.
Yeah I hear what you’re saying – it’s on a much smaller scale for it to have the mob impact. I think the fact that they are viral (like telling ppl their next locations on Facebook or Twitter, posting videos) is quite smart though.
Hahaha I loved watching the faces of all the onlookers in the crowd…not a single smile…they are all like “WTF is this?”
Clearly its time i revisited the homeland….
pathetic dance show put up by the bunch. their dance has no grace at all and audience are all the more dumb. Who the hell is the guy recorded this event like a monkey with a handycam?
Wow…I think it’s less about grace and more about having fun. Take a deep breath, well wisher! It’s all good!
*yawn* They could have done a better job, a little more originality? Anyway here is another video, this one promoting Beyonce’s London tour.
@Kalsoom,
Just because Kalsoom says it is good, do I need to agree with it. If these kids have done something for a cause for free, may be I would have been little biased on my compliment. But if they are paid to do something, at least do the job correct.
Also I can understand the location also constrained their ability to perform; They should have selected some good audience waiting lounge then a store room.