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Poor Vanity Fair editorial assistant Bill Bradley. He had to make 10,000 friends by August 5 or he was out of a job.
The go-getter with black-rimmed glasses worked from his gray cubicle as the young mastermind behind a PR campaign to guilt people into joining Vanity Fair’s Facebook page.
Bill tried everything. He even pleaded with sweaty tourists and onlookers in New York’s Times Square for help. Covering his front and back with a sandwich ad board of the latest issue of Vanity Fair with Angelina Jolie, Bill tried to make new friends.
Bill went with the free walking ad campaign as compared to what would be $125,000 to run an ad for eight minutes an hour, 24 hours a day, on the jumbo screen in Times Square. (He did check into it but was in no position to buy.)
But on August 6, the party was over. His editor called him into his office and gave him the boot.
The editor explained he was fired since he didn't make 10,000 fans on Facebook.
Bill pleaded with him, asked for another week but his boss wasn't budging.
Next thing you know, two heavy-set men dressed in dark suits appeared and dragged Bill out of the office.
See what happens next here:
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It doesn't, Colin. Here are four reasons why:
1. This story has yet to gain traction. People are talking about it, and...
Comments (6)
I've seen better high school productions.
Posted by Wayne Steffen | August 22, 2008 2:04 PM
Posted on August 22, 2008 14:04
terrible. for all the shamelessness of this stunt, you'd think they'd at least bring in some decent actors.
Posted by Ranke | August 21, 2008 2:11 PM
Posted on August 21, 2008 14:11
I couldn't agree more with Jacquie. It's a publicity stunt and a poorly veiled one at that. You'd think that Vanity Fair would have more flair than this lame scheme.
The again, here I am stewing over it, thinking to myself, "I haven't bought a Vanity Fair in a while; I wonder what that wiley Christopher Hitchens is up to?"
Yup, it worked. I'm definitely going to buy a Vanity Fair today. Well-done Bill. You bested me.
Posted by Michael Sebastian | August 21, 2008 11:32 AM
Posted on August 21, 2008 11:32
The deal wasn't for him to make 10,000 "friends" on Facebook for Vanity Fair. It was for 10,000 people to become "Fans" of it. And that is an entirely different application. If it was just friends, I'm sure he could have done it. But to add an entire differt application adds more junk to your page, and I just wasn't interested. They could be my friend, but I don't want anyone on my page to see I'm a "fan" of Vanity Fair. Two different things!
Posted by Valerie | August 21, 2008 11:21 AM
Posted on August 21, 2008 11:21
Meryl Streep he's not.
Goofy
Posted by Fred | August 20, 2008 12:20 PM
Posted on August 20, 2008 12:20
Yeah, yeah... You KNOW he's going to be rehired or hired somewhere else instantly. And that Vanity Fair is using this for great PR. The whole thing is much too predictable for me to even want to read about.
Posted by Jacquie | August 20, 2008 11:27 AM
Posted on August 20, 2008 11:27