Embrace humour and shock tactics, carefully

Companies and their service providers, need to look at a worst case scenario for any idea or campaign

• What is the worst that can go wrong
• How much could the worst cost verses the return
• What contingency plan can be in place to minimise risk or deal with the worst

Tourists reacting to a call over social media (Flashmob), caused panic at Girona in the Costa Brava. When they ran around the resort of Platja d’Aro pretending to chase a celebrity.  In the assumption, no doubt, that others would follow the ‘paparazzi’.

It’s not likely those that generated the joke or promotional campaign, imagined the panic or 11 bystanders being injured and one minor heart. As the public mistook it for a terrorist attack (selfie sticks as guns).

But it would not have saved their jobs, if a company was involved. For the 5 German women involved, it led to an appearance in court and a telling off!

Tensions are high after a series of attacks around Europe, making it important to consider the impact and implications of any action. Especially over social media, as it is as powerful as it is dangerous.