Effective experiential/guerilla/street marketing depends upon the surprise and amusement of the general public. An imaginative campaign will draw the grudging admiration of a shopper, pedestrian and possible consumer, even if they are normally irritated by what they perceive as over-the-top marketing efforts.

I have to think the growing practice of building buzz by telling reporters about your impending “surprise” marketing tactic will eventually cause consumer skepticism to grow, and make this marketing genre backfire.

Sometimes an integrated marketing campaign isn’t worth it – especially when all you plan to do is flash people.

Outside Grand Central Terminal tomorrow, for example, six men and women will advertise a New York Health and Racquet Club class by spending hours flashing their underwear at strangers, who may notice that the club logo and “Booty Call,” the name of the class, appear on the garment.

“Our street team will be going around and mooning the message to the masses,” said Darren Paul, managing partner at Night Agency in New York, which organized the event. (NYT)

Come on – the least the agency could have done to earn the commission is hire J.Lo impersonators. Or RuPaul impersonators. Or RuPaul, I hear she needs the work.