Either a crew at Gizmodo was possessed by evil spirits or simply not thinking straight when they pulled a really nasty prank during CES 2008. They intentionally fired TV-B-Gone remotes to turn off monitors displayed at this prestigious event, much of course to the detriment of exhibitors striving to promote their products.
And just to show how mental these guys are, they have the cojones to admit this very unprofessional act and post a video as a proof. Naturally, Gizmodo fanatics enjoyed and even worshipped the infamous gadget blog for this very special treat.
But here’s something that’s no laughing matter. Journalists, professional bloggers and marketing experts criticized this childish and insensitive prank for it seriously damaged some companies showing off their products, particularly Motorola.
To borrow the words of Jason Calcanis, they are “idiots on a grand scaleâ€. I would not be surprised if the event organizer CEA and some exhibitors sue Gizmodo for this stunt.
Moreover, this could also backfire on Gizmodo for other organizers might ban this blog from any major events in the industry and consumer electronics company might pull out their support.
Sure, this might just be a glitch for a very powerful blog like Gizmodo. Then again, the message is really simple: think before you act.
Originally posted on January 11, 2008 @ 12:31 am
Wow. I feel for the guy who was giving a presentation while Gizmodo hardware-kiddes flicked off the display he was referring to.