On January 31, 2007, as part of a national guerrilla marketing campaign, Peter Berdovsky, 27, and Sean Stevens, 28, installed LED displays depicting the Mooninites in ten different cities: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. In Boston, Massachusetts, the authorities considered the LEDs suspicious prompting the closure of major roads and waterways for investigation. Turner Broadcasting System later admitted placing the LEDs and apologized for the misunderstanding. In spite of the uproar, Berdovsky and Stevens mocked the media and critics in interviews while facing charges for “placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct”. Turner Broadcasting has paid the Boston Police Department one million dollars to cover the investigation’s cost and an additional million for good will. This action was designed to settle criminal and civil claims, while the general manager of Cartoon Network stepped down because of the incident. Of the 10 cities in which the Lite-Brite-like LED displays were placed only Boston saw them as a matter of concern. The installations had been up for weeks prior to the panic.
Probe into Boston ad stunt chaos, BBC News.
What the fuck is wrong with people? Who would make a bomb that looks like that? This isn’t Gotham City.
