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Library/Campaign/T-Mobile “Dance” flash mob
Grade B19 sourcesHIS-01607

T-Mobile “Dance” flash mob

Campaign · 2009 · Notable

40Editable slideCertificate

An ad with 350 dancers moved from paid TV to YouTube and Facebook-organised copycats.

Original · T-Mobile UK / Saatchi & Saatchi London
T-Mobile: Dance - The Clios
The Clios

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion20Breadth60VelocityNo data yetLongevityNo data yet40

Numbers

Peak proxy date
Week of Jan 29, 2009
Jan 16 ’09 to Week of Jan 29, 2009
Platforms
6
Started on TV
Origin
Mixed
Technology

Mechanics

  • Real-world spectaclePrimary
  • Response chain
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

T-Mobile filmed a station dance and launched the ad through paid TV and YouTube. A Facebook-organised copycat followed. Agency reports attributed sales gains to Dance; the ad later won television and advertising awards.

Proxy date; not a directly measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Viral Video Chart, overall weekly position · #1 at the top2009-01-29: #32009-02-05: #152009-02-12: #92009-02-19: #122009-03-05: #82009-03-12: #17Nov ’08Feb ’09MayJulDecMay ’10NovOct ’11Oct ’12Oct ’13Oct ’14Peak proxyOpen webTVYouTubeFacebookPressRetail
Open webTVYouTubeFacebookPressRetail

13 more events on this chart

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Viral Video Chart, overall weekly position: 6 dated figures from The Guardian / Viral Video Chart, each checked against the source. Measured at the time, not estimated.

Timeline (16)

  1. January 2009

    T-Mobile UK / Saatchi & Saatchi precursor · Jan 15 ’09

    T-Mobile filmed 350 dancers at Liverpool Street station for its forthcoming television ad.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. T-Mobile UK seed · Jan 16 ’09

    The finished Dance ad premiered in a paid Channel 4 commercial break during Celebrity Big Brother.[1][2]

  3. T-Mobile UK / lifesforsharing platform jump · Jan 16 ’09

    T-Mobile released the ad on its Life’s for Sharing YouTube channel alongside the television launch.[3][4]

  1. platform jump · Jan 16 ’09

  2. peak proxy · Week of Jan 29, 2009

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Why it worked

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  1. 1
  2. 2
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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Technology
Region
GB
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

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