Site Lures 20 Million Visitors
Happy Hotelier — September 13, 2007 — Naughty
References: marryourdaughter.org & bits.blogs.nytimes
Two parents were offering their daughter's hand in marriage on a website that had over 20 million page views in the last few weeks, but it turns out, the offer was a hoax. Science fiction editor, John Ordover, kept himself entertained by tracking how many people fall for his prankish jokes. The practicing nudist aims to draw attention to the fact that some states allow children as young as 12 to marry without parental consent.
"Mr. Ordover is no stranger to controversy, or to media attention," the New York Times points out. "In 2000, he was also the co-creator of the now defunct humor site Technicalvirgin.com, in which a young actress described the creative ways in which she maintained her honor. Last year, when those videos enjoyed a resurgence on YouTube the actress who appeared in them, Melanie Martinez, was fired from a job hosting 'The Good Night Show' on the PBS KIDS Sprout network – another Mr. Ordover-inspired saga covered by the paper."
"Mr. Ordover is no stranger to controversy, or to media attention," the New York Times points out. "In 2000, he was also the co-creator of the now defunct humor site Technicalvirgin.com, in which a young actress described the creative ways in which she maintained her honor. Last year, when those videos enjoyed a resurgence on YouTube the actress who appeared in them, Melanie Martinez, was fired from a job hosting 'The Good Night Show' on the PBS KIDS Sprout network – another Mr. Ordover-inspired saga covered by the paper."
Trend Themes
1. Online Pranking - The success of the fake marriage offer showcases the potential for viral online pranks to gain widespread attention and promote awareness of social issues.
2. Child Marriage - The controversy surrounding the hoax draws attention to the issue of child marriage and highlights an opportunity for innovation in advocacy and prevention efforts.
3. Controversial Humor - The history of controversy surrounding the hoax creator highlights the potential for disruptive innovation in controversial humor and satire, particularly on the internet.
Industry Implications
1. Social Advocacy - The attention drawn to the issue of child marriage presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in social advocacy and policy change efforts to protect children.
2. Entertainment - The success of the online prank highlights an opportunity for disruptive innovation in humorous online content creation and monetization, particularly through platforms like YouTube.
3. Digital Media - The viral nature of the hoax demonstrates the potential for disruptive innovation in digital media marketing and advertising strategies, particularly those that leverage controversial or provocative content.
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