Mere flash in the pan?
Pyjama party flash mob in Orchard Road fizzles out
June 16, 2009
TWO hundred young bodies in pyjamas and sexy lingerie gyrating right in the heart of busy Orchard Road.
That should turn heads, right?
But hardly anyone gave the flash mob, consisting of celebrity bloggers and their followers, a second glance.
The group did stop traffic though - pedestrian traffic outside The Heeren Shops that is - and shoppers didn't take kindly to that.
ALL FLUFF, NO STUFF? The flash mob event, which started off with a mock pillow fight (above), was attended by celebrity bloggers Sheylara and Xiaxue. TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO
The flash mob, organised by blog advertising community Nuffnang, took place around 6pm on Saturday.
A flash mob is a group of people that gathers at a public place to perform a planned action before quickly dispersing.
A Nuffnang spokesman told The New Paper that at least 200 people participated in the flash mob, which lasted for two minutes.
A pillow fight by some 10 people kick-started the event, and participants were then supposed to strip to pyjamas worn under their day clothes, and dance silently to music playing on their earphones.
Someone was supposed to hold up a green board to signal the start of the event, but some of those who participated said they never saw it and the whole thing was over before they even knew it had started.
Cheeri Leo, 18, who is waiting to enter university, said: 'It was very difficult to see the signal, and I didn't know when we should start stripping down to our pyjamas.'
As a result, many participants ended up just standing around in their normal attire.
Not that many people cared.
Passers-by were heard complaining about the congestion caused by the flash mob.
It also didn't help that there was some construction work going on in the area.
Student Jean Teo, 17, said: 'They should have held the event at a more spacious place.'
Navy regular Lukari Zhang, 24, who is part of a photography club that was there to photograph the event, said the whole thing was 'quite messy'.
So, what made participants turn up?
Polytechnic student Ang Hui Xin, 18, said: 'It seemed interesting and I've never taken part in a blogger event before.'
Publicity for the flash mob was done mainly on five well-known blogs - those of Xiaxue, Ice Angel, Underage-Girl, Thy Dowager and Sheylara. Participants signed up on the Nuffnang website, giving their names and contact details.
'Cute and sexy'
Sheylara asked her readers to choose the type of pyjamas she should go in.
Her final pick was 'a combination of cute and sexy' - a nightgown printed with hearts - she said with a smile.
Nuffnang spokesman Yang Huiwen said: 'The objective of the bloggers' flash mob is to create awareness, in both the blogosphere and among the public, for the upcoming Singapore River Festival.'
The festival, to be held from 19 to 27Jun, will feature performances by the riverside.
It aims to 'celebrate water, entertainment and heritage'.
Goodie bags given to the first 200 participants who turned up for the flash mob included tickets to a blogger's party and a tour of festival attractions.
Blogger Xiaxue, or Miss Wendy Cheng, 25, appeared to have drawn the most followers - more than 400 out of the 600-odd who registered online.
She said: 'I felt it was quite successful. I didn't know about the pillow fight and thought that it was quite cool.'
Audrey Tan Ruiping, newsroom intern
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other bursts of spontaneity
May 2008: The Real Singapore Freeze. 300 to 400 people stood perfectly still for five minutes outside Ngee Ann City. Organised by Mission: Singapore.
April 2008: 18 people danced on an MRT train and gave out items such as paper hearts to commuters. Organised by Mission: Singapore.
August 2003: Twelve people rode up and down the escalators in Orchard MRT station three times, waving and yelling. Organised via e-mail.
July 2003: The Spontaneous Orchestra - 50 people gathered at the space above Raffles Place MRT station and set their handphones ringing non-stop.
Pyjama party flash mob in Orchard Road fizzles out
June 16, 2009
TWO hundred young bodies in pyjamas and sexy lingerie gyrating right in the heart of busy Orchard Road.
That should turn heads, right?
But hardly anyone gave the flash mob, consisting of celebrity bloggers and their followers, a second glance.
The group did stop traffic though - pedestrian traffic outside The Heeren Shops that is - and shoppers didn't take kindly to that.
ALL FLUFF, NO STUFF? The flash mob event, which started off with a mock pillow fight (above), was attended by celebrity bloggers Sheylara and Xiaxue. TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO
The flash mob, organised by blog advertising community Nuffnang, took place around 6pm on Saturday.
A flash mob is a group of people that gathers at a public place to perform a planned action before quickly dispersing.
A Nuffnang spokesman told The New Paper that at least 200 people participated in the flash mob, which lasted for two minutes.
A pillow fight by some 10 people kick-started the event, and participants were then supposed to strip to pyjamas worn under their day clothes, and dance silently to music playing on their earphones.
Someone was supposed to hold up a green board to signal the start of the event, but some of those who participated said they never saw it and the whole thing was over before they even knew it had started.
Cheeri Leo, 18, who is waiting to enter university, said: 'It was very difficult to see the signal, and I didn't know when we should start stripping down to our pyjamas.'
As a result, many participants ended up just standing around in their normal attire.
Not that many people cared.
Passers-by were heard complaining about the congestion caused by the flash mob.
It also didn't help that there was some construction work going on in the area.
Student Jean Teo, 17, said: 'They should have held the event at a more spacious place.'
Navy regular Lukari Zhang, 24, who is part of a photography club that was there to photograph the event, said the whole thing was 'quite messy'.
So, what made participants turn up?
Polytechnic student Ang Hui Xin, 18, said: 'It seemed interesting and I've never taken part in a blogger event before.'
Publicity for the flash mob was done mainly on five well-known blogs - those of Xiaxue, Ice Angel, Underage-Girl, Thy Dowager and Sheylara. Participants signed up on the Nuffnang website, giving their names and contact details.
'Cute and sexy'
Sheylara asked her readers to choose the type of pyjamas she should go in.
Her final pick was 'a combination of cute and sexy' - a nightgown printed with hearts - she said with a smile.
Nuffnang spokesman Yang Huiwen said: 'The objective of the bloggers' flash mob is to create awareness, in both the blogosphere and among the public, for the upcoming Singapore River Festival.'
The festival, to be held from 19 to 27Jun, will feature performances by the riverside.
It aims to 'celebrate water, entertainment and heritage'.
Goodie bags given to the first 200 participants who turned up for the flash mob included tickets to a blogger's party and a tour of festival attractions.
Blogger Xiaxue, or Miss Wendy Cheng, 25, appeared to have drawn the most followers - more than 400 out of the 600-odd who registered online.
She said: 'I felt it was quite successful. I didn't know about the pillow fight and thought that it was quite cool.'
Audrey Tan Ruiping, newsroom intern
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other bursts of spontaneity
May 2008: The Real Singapore Freeze. 300 to 400 people stood perfectly still for five minutes outside Ngee Ann City. Organised by Mission: Singapore.
April 2008: 18 people danced on an MRT train and gave out items such as paper hearts to commuters. Organised by Mission: Singapore.
August 2003: Twelve people rode up and down the escalators in Orchard MRT station three times, waving and yelling. Organised via e-mail.
July 2003: The Spontaneous Orchestra - 50 people gathered at the space above Raffles Place MRT station and set their handphones ringing non-stop.
