Challenge: Make a street brand on the periphery, cool again. Prove to the world Golf Punk defies convention – “you don’t get it…and we don’t care”.We identified a controversial topic that we knew would resonate with our audience:Young people are cynical about the power of media and advertising and the manipulation and persuasion they use to achieve a sale.We sought to generate publicity by exploiting the misconception that advertising brainwashes consumers.

We created HypnoMarketing, a fake firm that turns young people into brand advocates for life through the power of hypnosis. Golf Punk would be HypnoMarketing’s first client.

“Outraged” media coverage; Australia’s leading current affairs TV show, 14 radio stations, 17 newspapers, 1000’s blogs.Thousands called HypnoMarketing. 6,000 expressed interest in the events. 2.5 million Australians impacted. Media value $1.9 million. ROI 1800%.“We’ve received unprecedented demand from new retailers and regained our cool” Richard Bell - Client

To ensure the media and consumers believed HypnoMarketing's legitimacy we created logos, established an office, employed an actor as GM, built a website to explain the process and invite people to live events.

At these events our hypnotist hypnotised people. He led the audience and assembled media to believe that those hypnotised would become lifelong Golf Punk advocates. Golf Punk appeared in all communications, first subtly, then more blatantly as consumers became more engaged.

We used channels our audience seek out rather than screen.Media selection reflected the “dubious” nature of HypnoMarketing: street press, pole posters, flyers, seeding, promoted the events.The events were the centerpiece. Audiences enjoyed an evening of what they believed was people being “programmed” through hypnosis, Golf Punk was fully integrated.

To amplify reach, event footage was posted on P2P websites. We then had momentum; GM gave interviews to TV, radio, press, articles appeared online.