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That Times Square Hack Video Was An Ad For Some Movie
By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 17, 2011
Modified Mar 17, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 17, 2011
Modified Mar 17, 2011
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Earlier this week we ran a video that was making the rounds in which a man purported to show a way to hack billboards with an iPhone and a tiny receiver. We were highly skeptical of its veracity, but thought it was interesting nonetheless. But we guess we should have trusted our gut as it was fake. The whole thing was a ploy to virally advertise some movie with that guy from Alias in it.
The creators of the "ad," James Percelay and Michael Krivicka, talked up that work and their general MO ("we represent the new age in advertising") to the Times today. See, in the modern age of ads you don't need "a direct frontal assault.” All you have to do, in their mind, is push "the engagement of an idea which leads you then to the product." Sigh.
So how was that video supposed to advertise that movie? Towards the end a red balloon flies by a screen displaying a preview for it which you are supposed to recognize. We didn't notice it at the time, but now that we do we know what we won't be seeing this weekend.
So that viral video? You were supposed to notice the red balloon fly by a movie preview.
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