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FAQ's

Many people have asked questions about Flash Mobs.

What is a Flash Mob?
Its a sudden gathering of people into a crowd that do something unusual for a few minutes in unison and then disperse.

Who runs Flash Mobs?
Flash mobs are run by individual people for the fun of it. There are no organisations behind real Flash Mobs, though there have been a couple of gatherings using Flash Mob principles organised by commercial interests.

How can I go to a Flash Mob?
You need to find a group that is close to your location. We have lists here at flashmob.co.uk but you could try searching yahoo groups as that is the most popular application for Flash Mobs mailing lists.

Do I need props?
Generally no but if an item is needed you will be notified in the instructions e-mailed to you.

Can I dress up for a Flash Mob?
Generally this is frowned upon as the idea is for a crowd to suddenly appear out of nowhere and if everyone is dressed as clowns it may just give the game away!

Can you do a Flash Mob for my product launch?
Some corporate's have tried this, the first to really jump on the bandwagon were the band Jane's Addiction and in certain news media companies did their own banana based stunt in London. Yes you can do a commercial version of flash mobbing but don't expect any help from traditional Flash mob organisers - if you can find them. The whole spirit of the idea gets tainted as soon as anyone tries to use flash mobs as a communication exercise. It relies on ordinary members of the public enjoying themselves - how would you feel being used to promote something you may not believe in.

There has never been a Flash Mob in my town, can I set one up?
Yes go ahead and do it - enjoy yourself. If you need help and tips then get in contact by e-mail with the organisers of other flash mob groups who will give you plenty of advice. Look for contact details on their flash mob websites or Yahoo/Google Groups.

Posted by Simon at October 18, 2003 11:10 AM