Winging it: Viral campaign flies high

Frankfurt – In perhaps the most bizarre use of animals we’ve seen in a long time, a German publisher has used flies to create a buzz at an industry event.

To promote its stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Eichborn, which uses a fly as its colophon, attached 200 ultra-light banners to 200 flies and set the insects free. The stunt certainly worked: a video of the flies has received more than half a million hits on YouTube – proof that bold, innovative ideas really can fly.