Polish cell carrier stocks iPhone lines with actors
In New York, some Apple fans were miffed that the first people waiting in line for the iPhone 3G were activists hoping to stir up publicity for a cause. But don't you think they would've been even more ticked off if those first spots in the line were taken up by paid actors?
That's what's happened in Poland, where mobile phone operator Orange has admitted to Reuters that nearly two dozen stores in the country were manned with a line of actors in anticipation of Friday's iPhone launch.
"We have these fake queues at front of 20 stores around the country to drum up interest in the iPhone," the company told Reuters. The company has not said how many people were hired, how long they had to wait, or how they would be compensated.
But I certainly hope they got to keep the iPhones for free.
The whole thing is not really that far-fetched an idea. When lines started forming outside Apple Stores in New York long before the launch of the iPhone 3G, rumors circulated that it was actually a prank on behalf of culture jammers Improv Everywhere. It seemed more than plausible. Turns out the lines were real, due to rationing of the first-generation iPhones in anticipation of the still-unannounced 3G.
Regardless, it could be funny to see how an out-of-work comedian reacts to an overlong in-store activation process.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline. 
What an idiotic marketing scam.
Marketing in Europe is a little different that's for sure. We have and allow for all kinds of crazy schemes on TV everyday here in the US. Like getting rich selling real estate, and all the people that swear by making $30,000 their first week.
Come on, we all know that's all 100% bunch of lies, lies and more lies, yet infomercials are still legal.
Microsoft spends millions to tell us how good their Vista or Office 2007 is, but we all know it's trash...
It's all deceptive manipulation of your consciousness.
- by dude7895 August 24, 2008 4:19 PM PDT
- Probably one of steve jobs stupid ideas.
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