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Improv Group Targets Best Buy (No Pun Intended)
Posted by Pile
(17323 views)      [E-Mail link]
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[Humor] |
 What happens when an improv comedy group of 80 dress up in blue polo shirts and khakis walk into a Best Buy store? Oh yea.. you can see this coming... |
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The team from ImproveEverywhere writes, "The idea for this mission was submitted by a stranger via email. Agent Slavinsky wrote in to suggest I get either a large group of people in blue polo shirts and khakis to enter a Best Buy or a group in red polo shirts and khakis to enter a Target. Wearing clothing almost identical to the store's uniform, the agents would not claim to work at the store but would be friendly and helpful if anyone had a question. There aren't any Targets in Manhattan, so I decided to go with the two-story Best Buy on 23rd Street.
I staked out the Best Buy a few times leading up to the mission. I wanted to figure out the exact shade of blue they used for their uniforms. One detail I noticed is that all employees wore belts and black shoes. I figured it would be against policy to film in the store, so any cameras we used would have to be somewhat hidden. In addition cameras could also be "hidden" in plain sight by using Best Buy's demo cameras to document the mission. All we would have to do is bring in blank tapes and memory cards to insert in their own video and still cameras.
I sent out an email to my mailing list to recruit agents. I didn't want to give away the exact nature of the prank for fear of word spreading to Best Buy employees ahead of time. I had to be as vague as possible and still make sure everyone wore the correct clothing:
In order to participate you must arrive adhering to a very specific dress code:
1) Blue Polo Shirt. Short sleeved. Any brand. Preferably with no logo. As Close to Royal Blue as possible. As close to this exact shirt as possible.
2) Khaki Pants. Any shade of khaki is fine. No shorts.
3) Belt. Any belt is fine.
Other Instructions:
-If possible, please wear black shoes. This is not required, but please wear them if you have them.
-You must also bring a NEWSPAPER (Any newspaper is fine--just grab a free one on the street.)
-If possible, do not bring a backpack or any type of bag. This is not a huge deal, but it will work better without bags.
-Do not bring any type of camera. This mission is, as all IE Missions should be, participatory. We are covering it with our own small staff of camera people and do not need any more cameras or journalists. Only show up if you are wearing the proper dress and ready to participate and have fun!
We met at Union Square North at 3:30 PM. Around 80 agents showed up, most them looking like wonderful Best Buy employees. More than a few came dressed in navy or teal, but with the belt and the khakis they still looked employee-like. After everyone arrived I explained the mission. The first step was for everyone to throw their newspapers away. The instruction to bring a newspaper was a red herring meant to throw people off the scent of the mission's true nature. I then revealed the plan, "We're heading up to the Best Buy on 23rd Street. We'll enter the store one by one. Once inside, spread out and stand near the end of an aisle, facing away from the merchandise. Don't shop, but don't work either. If a customer comes up to you and asks you a question, be polite and help them if you know the answer. If anyone asks you if you work there, say no. If an employee asks you what you're doing, respond 'I'm waiting for my girlfriend/boyfriend who is shopping elsewhere in the store.' If they question you about your clothing, just explain that it's what you put on when you woke up this morning and you don't know any of the other people dressed like you."
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"Thomas Crown Affair! Thomas Crown Affair!," one employee shouted. They were worried that were using our fake uniforms to stage some type of elaborate heist. "I want every available employee out on the floor RIGHT NOW!" |
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| Posted by JAB on 2006-05-03 15:10:54 | | That's classic! |
| Posted by Gert on 2006-05-07 19:28:21 | | Wonderful! |
bby employee
Posted by Ross on 2007-04-18 01:13:13 | | that is freaking funny as hell, i work for best buy and i would have laughed my ass off... |
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