It’s not often we find anything remotely resembling an original thought in this industry but we think we’ve found one in The Kidnapping Campaign, an effort by an unnamed interactive agency to hold other interactive agencies’ reverse domain names captive until they pay a ransom. Once the ransom is paid, the agency can have its reverse domain name back and the identity of the agency behind the stunt will be revealed at Cannes only if it wins an award.
The components of the campaign include a video, filmed upside down, of a guy reading off the reverse domain names of major interactive agencies. Each reverse domain name will contain a “parasite banner.” And The Kidnapping Campaign site explains the whole thing.
While this campaign could be called original, there’s a few problems that will keep it from amounting to anything more than a creative team’s Cocaine-fueled fist bump. First, none of the reverse domain names have actually been purchased and all URLs deliver a 404 page. Second and perhaps most important, it’s highly doubtful any agency is going to give a shit if anyone lays claim to the reverse spelling of their domain name. And third, Cannes-worthy? You wish. Though we do give points to the dude in the stocking mask who hung upside down to for the head rush-inducing stunt.
