The French lingerie company Etam has been using "flash flash" ad campaigns to get the message out. Judging from the coverage of their recent unofficial "show" at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris it's grabbing attention, both positive and negative.
Museum visitors had their contemplation of impressionist masters interrupted when three Etam models dropped their trenchcoats to reveal colorful lingerie. The trio took off running through galleries hung with works by impressionist heavies such as Renoir, Monet, Seurat, and Cézanne.
Museum officials were not amused. Musee d'Orsay has a strict no-filming policy without prior authorization. Director Guy Cogeval has threatened legal action if Etam doesn't remove the video from its website. Bit late since the video has gone viral.
The museum released a statement calling the impromptu flash show "a serious infringement of the Orsay's rights and the rights of others."
Etam probably thinks it's worth the risk. After all a stunt like this gets picked up and relayed across the net with lightning speed. Outraged officialdom and threats of lawsuits just add to the interest.
The company has staged similar events before. Lingerie models were filmed in their skimpies skating at the Eiffel Tower ice rink. In another shoot the models stripped down to bare essentials to go through security at Charles de Gaulle airport.
Flash ad campaigns are a bit like the advertising equivalent of shock-and-awe. They pull major coverage by turning product promotion into a show stopping event... a news story.
T-Mobile's flash mob ads generated a huge buzz. "The T-Mobile Dance" in London's Liverpool Street Station was a viral sensation. Bystanders got drawn into the action, taking pictures and texting - an interactive experience very different from conventional product advertising.
On the flip side of the coin, these events can also be annoying or an inconvenience. Depending on your preference, having a carefully scheduled afternoon with the masters interrupted by giggling lingerie models could ruin the mood. Flash mobs have also drawn criticism from transport police in the UK for obvious reasons - hundreds of dancing, strutting people can be a major headache at the peak of rush hour.
Video of the Musee d'Orsay event from Huffington Post
