Worst Promotion Ever Causes Riot In Union Square As Hipsters Fight For Cash-Wrapped Tomatoes
Cash Tomato, a would-be YouTube! competitor, tried to drum up free advertising by handing out tomatoes wrapped with wads of cash in New York's Union Square. The event was scheduled to kick-off yesterday at 2:29 p.m. to honor the leap year with giveaways of up to $29. Predictably, a riot ensued as a mob of over 100 overwhelmed the three workers dressed as tomatoes who were holding the cash. Video of the riot, after the jump.
Completely Foreseeable Riot as Cash Thrown at Public in Union Square [Gothamist]
(Photo: M. Roberts/Daily News)
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Comments:
I'd like to see that grenade stunt...
However, if the cash amount was 100 ish, there likely would've been a death and tons more people hurt.
I never heard of Cash Tomato until now, so perhaps this publicity stunt will get more people to try them out now since this'll be on the news...
I like oranges and apples more than tomatoes, they should've used that or cash cows...
@matto: yes, i think i will also use this tactic. also, no self-respecting SF company would call itself "cash tomato" anyway. what, was "scrilla squash" taken?
Cash Tomato didn't even stay to help with the clean up.
Yeah, it's pretty hard to help clean up when you're being driven away in an ambulance.
Am I the only one who finds it odd that the guy video taping this' only reaction to someone being thrown to the ground was, "Haha, Cash Tomato sucks"?
It isn't a real riot if you can stand there and giggle.
You know, just ten pounds of $29 tomatoes could add up to a serious chunk of change, depending on the average weight of your tomatoes. A "garbage bag" full of tomatoes could be worth thousands.
So I don't think I'd risk serious bodily injury, but if a guy went by me with a stolen bag of money I'd probably make a grab for it. :)
@timsgm1418: oh hell. that means I'm showing my age, too.
and, in this case, I could imagine 1) people thought it was more than $29 (the crowd outliers who just knew money was being handed out), and 2) NYU students desperate for weed money.
























Fail!
That was definately not thought through. Cash Tomato was really lucky no one got badly hurt over this. But then again you would expect people to have more respect for one another and not go nuts over a measly $29.