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Tags: Wizz Air / LCCs / Low Cost Carriers / Europe Travel / Publicity Stunts / → All Tags

Wizz Air's Balloons Pop Prematurely

Poor Wizz Air. What started out as a sweet little marketing idea to celebrate the Eastern European low-cost carrier's fifth anniversary turned nasty this week, and we feel bad for them.

The airline set up a press conference and speaking event in Budapest, and the final act of the day was going to be the release of 1,000 balloons, each with a 10,000 forint ($50) coupon attached which the lucky finder could redeem on a Wizz Air flight.

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Tags: Publicity Stunts / Christmas / PHL / → All Tags

Philly Icons Welcome Fliers Home

Taking a page out of the Improv Everywhere playbook--and wanting to represent the city of brotherly love not the city that boos people--local radio personalities, Eagles cheerleaders and the 76ers dance team took to Philadelphia International Airport this morning to welcome passengers to town.

Given that today's one of the busiest travel days of the year, the Philly tourism board also saw the event as an opportunity to hype their "More Holiday Fun" promo, which casts the city as the perfect place for holiday shopping.

The tourism folks have put together a Google Map mashup of Philly boutiques with unique gifts for less than $25 and a mini-site that highlights budget-friendly things to do in the city in the run up to Christmas. Sadly, the holiday promotions don't include a welcoming committee of cheerleaders for everyone who visits between now and New Year's.

Related Stories:
· Philly Tourism's Holiday Map Mashup [Official Site]
· Christmas coverage [Jaunted]

[Photos: J. Holder for GPTMC]

Tags: Christmas / Thanksgiving / Publicity Stunts / → All Tags

Rockefeller Center Tree Arrives In NYC

If you need any further evidence of Christmas Creep, here it is: The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrived in Midtown this morning, almost two full weeks before Thanksgiving. Say what you will about the commercialization of Jesus' B-day, but the 8-ton, 72-foot-tall, 80-year-old Norway spruce is pretty impressive.

Crews will now string the tree with five miles of wire and 30,000 solar-powered LEDs in advance of the December 3 lighting ceremony, which promises stars like Beyonce, Tony Bennett and the Jonas Brothers. The spruce will be topped by the massive Swarovski star unveiled by Fergie earlier this week.

Related Stories:
· Fergie Presents the Rockefeller Center Star [Newsday]
· Stars Lined up for Christmas Tree Event [Chicago Sun-Times]

[Photo of last year's tree: pbb]

Tags: Publicity Stunts / Cruises / Carnival Cruises / Big Things / Videos / → All Tags

Carnival's Piñata Breaks Record, Doesn't Break Open

After having a ball in Dallas, Carnival Cruise Lines brought its outsized publicity machine to Philadelphia this weekend, with an attempt at the record for world's largest piñata. While the company did get a Guinness nod, Carnival postponed the actual smashing of the burro because of "safety concerns." What an enormous let down!

Still, smart of the cruise line to not endanger the dental and overall health of the more than 10,000 people who showed up to watch the piñata meet its fate--and get a share of 8,000 pounds of candy.

The piñata will eventually get what's coming to it, though: Carnival promises the smashing will be part of a new ad campaign hyping its enormous ships. When exactly will filming commence? Carnival hasn't set a date.

Related Stories:
· Carnival Breaks Record for World’s Largest Piñata [Official Site]
· Carnival Hyping Enormous Ships With Enormous Gimmicks [Jaunted]

Tags: Publicity Stunts / Cruises / Carnival Cruises / Big Things / Videos / → All Tags

Carnival Hyping Enormous Ships With Enormous Gimmicks

If your cruise line boasts a 3,006 passenger vessel so big it can't transit the Panama Canal, it would make sense that your publicity stunts involve big things. Carnival Cruise Lines took two record-breaking, 36-foot-wide beach balls to the streets of Dallas recently, dropping them off buildings into a crowd of thousands.

Next up is a piñata smashing in the streets of Philadelphia on November 2. The six-story candy carrier will be suspended above the intersection of South Broad Street and Washington Avenue and destroyed with a wrecking ball. Carnival will be filming the fun for a commercial, as 8,000 pounds of sweets shower the crowd.

Related Stories:
· Possible Phillies Parade Displaced by Giant Piñata [Philly Edge, via]
· Cruises coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Alain-Robert-Climbing-Stunts-Map / Publicity Stunts / Alain Robert / Climbing / → All Tags

Publicity Stunt Travel: Alain Robert Climbs Another Landmark

French stuntman Alain Robert picked an awesome target for his latest publicity stunt: The Renzo Piano-designed New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan. We can't think of a better way to get some ink!

"Spiderman" scaled the entire 52-story skyscraper without any sort of special equipment; the cops corralled him on the roof and peacefully led him away.

While we think it's pretty amazing that Robert did the whole thing without even a rope and harness, a police officer was less than impressed, given the building's latticed facade:

To be honest, looking at this building, you don't have to be a professional. This building is like a ladder.

In honor of Robert's latest coup, we've put together a map of some of his previous climbs. Don't try this at home!

Related Stories:
· Man Scales Times Building and Is Arrested [NYT]
· Alain Robert Climbing Stunts Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: NYT]