In marketing, the power of the “mob” is pretty huge; if a product or service becomes embraced by “the masses”, marketers look really, really smart and people makes lots of money. Politicians are elected because of mobs, and millions of dollars are spent by mobs on things like sports and concerts every day.
Mobs are powerful, and they can be scary. The word “mob”, for me, sometimes conjures up images of pitchforks, hateful twitter streams, jeering bullies picking on a weaker kid, or tense, divisive protests.
But every once in a while, a story comes along that proves that mobs can work the other way. Before you go on, click the link below and watch the video. It’s short and I promise it’s worth it. You might want to grab a tissue.
http://www.viddler.com/embed/70d1d214/?f=1&offset=0&autoplay=0&secret=48017121&disablebranding=0
There are so many things I love about this story. Obviously, the coach and his commitment to his manager, and the incredible act of sportsmanship from the young man on the other team. But listen to that crowd, that mob. Watch the other boys on both teams; they got out of Mitchell’s way to give him a chance to shoot. Watch the cheerleaders and the crowd; they moaned in agony when he didn’t make his shot. And watch the crowd explode in joy and tears when he sank his first – and last – shot and was swallowed up (along with his teammates, and the boys he was playing against) by people who were united in a frenzy…for something good.
I want to believe these things happen more than we hear about them. I really, really want to believe that.
Everything and a Racehorse 