Sony's Telekinetic Prank: A Lesson in Promoting Your Brand

This Monday a video went viral showing an elaborate prank that Sony constructed to promote the motion picture remake of Stephen King's classic Carrie.  The prank was pulled off in a New York City coffee shop and featured a telekinetic surprise from an actor set up at the café.  Read full details of the making and execution of the prank here and watch the video below.

Sony went above and beyond when thinking about ways to promote this movie.  It is so much bigger and more effective than a commercial or print ad.  Shock value is one of the factors of newsworthiness, and a promotional prank like this is sure to get media coverage. 

There are so many people vying for attention and coverage that it has become difficult to break through the noise and get a message to an audience.  Sony demonstrated a unique way to draw attention and promote your brand or product.

Do you think this will start a trend of more "stunt"-like advertising and PR moves? We want to hear your thoughts.