Flash Mob “Invades” Sleepy Rural Town

Author
Lorie A. Tuma, Roy A. Cook, Kara Waldecker
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
6 pages
Keywords
Tourism
hospitality
flash mobs
social change
publicity
Copyright Holder
Journal of Case Studies
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Undergraduate Students

Located on the northeast shores of Lake Huron, the small town of Rogers City continues to face challenges with economic development to the area. With access to fresh, clean water, the rural beach town has survived, despite a dwindling Michigan economy. This small town is representative of many rural beach towns in Michigan. Framed around the theories of sense of community and social change, university students completed an urban renewal project that required them to create and produce a “flash mob” by combining philanthropy with an attempt to jump-start tourism-based economic development.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain how a “flash mob” can be used to create publicity.

  2. Identify the necessary steps for social change to be accomplished.

  3. Evaluate students’ efforts to provide a catalyst for tourism development.

  4. Describe how the leaders of Rogers City can capitalize on the energy created by the social media buzz created by the “flash mob”.