Improv Everywhere are an “organised fun” / long form improvisation troupe / comedic performance art group who “cause scenes of chaos and joy in public places”. The group was created in August 2001 by Charlie Todd, The group has carried out over 80 non-threatening pranks, which they call “missions” involving thousands of undercover “agents”. The group is based in New York City, USA. Their slogan is “We Cause Scenes.” From their infamous No Pants! subway ride to their now legendary Grand Central Freeze, Improv Everywhere are responsible for some of the most original and subversive urban pranks in recent history.
Some of the group’s missions are similar to flash mobs, while other missions utilise only a small number of performers. Improv Everywhere has stated that they do not identify their work with the term “flash mob”, in part because they started their work two years prior to the flash mob trend.
Many of the group’s early members met through the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre based in Chelsea, New York City. The owners of the theatre, The Upright Citizens Brigade, had a TV series from 1998-2000 on the Comedy Central channel. While primarily a sketch show, the UCB often filmed their characters in public places with hidden cameras and showed the footage under the end credits. Both the UCB’s show and their teachings on improv have been influential to Improv Everywhere. Todd currently teaches at the UCB.
There is now a book available about IE entitled ‘Causing a Scene, Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere’. It’s the behind-the-scenes story of Improv Everywhere, with an in-depth look at some of their most successful pranks over the past eight years. It’s written by Charlie Todd and senior agent Alex Scordelis with photos by Chad Nicholson. You can read the first two chapters online here.
Their best known pranks include ‘The Moebius’ where 7 agents recreate the same 5-minute loop of time 12 times in a row in a Starbucks coffee shop and the Mp3 Experiments, where a group of people download the same mp3, synchronise their watches, meet at a prearranged place and press play on their MP3 players at the same time and follow the instructions. See these and more on the IE Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ImprovEverywhere .
Marketers can learn from the methods of IE – Saatchi & Saatchi may well have been inspired by them to create the T-Mobile TV Advert “Lifes For Sharing”.
Improv Everywhere partnered with Yahoo! to help promote the company’s new “Start Wearing Purple” campaign in late 2008. Unsuspecting lift riders were subjected to riders getting on at different floors, all seemingly singing the same song entitled “Start Wearing Purple” spontaneously. In turn, Yahoo! were to sponsor Improv Everywhere’s next MP3 Experiment. Charlie Todd sates on the FAQ of IE’s site that they, “… do not stage official Improv Everywhere missions that advertise a brand.”
Find similar organisations near you on urbanprankster.com .
Related Links:
www.ucbtheatre.com
www.improveverywhere.com