A dash of integrated marketing and a pinch of nostalgia...

For some reason, I have to read the New York Times on Mondays... I know I should be reading print news daily, but I go out of my way on Mondays to read it through, and I have yet to NOT find something that doesn't resonate. Last week there was a couple page spread on the METS new pitcher Johan Santana in the sports section and a piece about recent entrepreneurial student from Champlain, Ben Kaufman, in the business section. Nice.

To my surprise (almost stunned actually) I was reading a bit in the business section today about a viral video going around about seemingly impromptu dancers popping up in random places in Europe staging Michael Jackson tributes. Here's the article. Yes people, I'm talking about one of my all time faves (aside from Dirty Diana), the THRILLER zombie dance, randomly appearing in places like the London Underground, Chinatown in London, on the street outside the London Opera House, etc.

The recently re-released 25 year anniversary of "Thriller" MJ album (by SongBMG) has taken some seriously untraditional approaches to promoting it. There was the Thrillicious: 2008 SoBe Life Water Super Bowl Ad with the dancing lizards, today I saw the MTV reality show, America's Best Dance Crew, theme it's competition week based on the essence of MJ, and now these staged Thriller dances showing up randomly in public places. This is some kick-ass creative PR.

MJ was prime in his time... I grew up in the MTV 80s and his music was a part of my culture and I can totally separate MJ of then from the MJ of now. But I cannot imagine what it was like for Sony to approach this major milestone today, as MJ's image isn't exactly all shiny sequins and patent leather like it used to be. Nor is MJ able to promote this himself; he's a recluse, for the obvious reasons. The guerilla marketing is genius and has adapted to the times. For what it's worth, regardless of where he's at now, THE WHITE GLOVE lives on! And I'm THRILLED to see the revival of the number 1 selling album of all time. *tippy toes and crotch grabs*

This is brilliant guerilla marketing:


Very reminiscent of the Filipino prison videos where more than 1500 inmates choreographed Thriller as their daily exercise routines... oh yes, it's true:


And somewhat reminiscent of the freeze videos... if you don't know what I'm talking about, learn: