The newest viral to spark the attention of the Quirkstars was this one from European clothing and fashion giant, H&M.

Traditionally, H&M's marketing efforts centred around celebrity endorsements from the likes of Madonna, or fashionistas designing their clothes and accessories. Last November Jimmy Choo designed a collection that was sold out overnight. However, H&M have now shifted their marketing focus. In this case a flash mob in the very arty Union Square in San Francisco.

The scene is set by a tiny Asian boy bustin' some moves to Set it off by Izza Kizza - this quickly turns into a dance battle between him and another young girl, both convienently dressed in H&M's newest children's line. This turns into an full on hip-hop dance-off between two groups of kids in front of a massive and very amused audience.
 
So they use flash mobs - now there is nothing new about this (it's like sooo 2009), and we're not blown away by this innovation. However, this viral has a different tone. Firstly, it is edgy (some of the moves are a little risque for eight year olds. Yes I know, I sound like a granny). Secondly, the brand values of H&M tie in seamlessly with the viral: H&M is all about youth, energy, fun, and above all, looking great whilst having fun. The kids look fantastic and you can tell that they will be admired by everyone their age, which I suppose was an objective of the video in the first place. (Quick, kids, run to H&M - buy those clothes and be like us!)

One thing I really loved about the video was the mix of faces/shapes/sizes of all the kids. They were all so different but they all had wicked style and you could tell they were having a great time. The last gripe I have is the likeliness of the target audience to see the video. Are they interested in flash mobs? Unlikely. But otherwise I like it. It's a fresh take on a fairly over-done viral concept. Nice H&M!

Also check out:

• Our Viral Vault