The Tourism Ireland flashmob video that saw Sydney’s Central Station transform into a Riverdance stage with more than 100 Irish dancers emerging from the crowd has entered the 10 most-shared videos in March at a respectable No 5.
Contagious Magazine’s viral chart, which rates the hottest marketing videos around the globe, listed the Tourism Ireland viral video among big brands like Volkswagen and Adidas.
The flashmob, organised by Tourism Ireland in Australia, is on YouTube, where it has been viewed by almost 740,000 people around the globe.
“Our aim was to spread some St Patrick’s cheer and to bring a smile to the faces of people in Sydney, conveying the message that the island of Ireland offers a really warm welcome, fun and spontaneity for our Australian visitors, as well as fantastic scenery and culture,” Caroline Brunel, Tourism Ireland Australia, explained.
The St Patrick’s Day flashmob
The video features unsuspecting commuters passing through Sydney’s Central Station on St Patrick’s Day, who were stopped in their tracks when a group of Irish dancers brought the busy station to a standstill.
As the Irish music sounded across the station, the crowd began to dance; more than 100 dancers, including members of Riverdance and local school children of various ages, joined in.
People passing through the station seemed surprised at first, but it soon became apparent that the dancing was completely synchronised. The event lasted for more than three minutes and was followed by enthusiastic cheers and applause.
The Contagious viral chart had this to say: “Tourism Ireland’s delve into the flashmob meme is another newcomer to the chart. Mimicking the hugely successful ‘Life’s For Sharing’ campaign by T-Mobile, St Patrick’s Day Flashmob 2011, which featured Irish dancers at Central Station in Sydney, Australia, was the fifth most-shared global ad in March.”
