Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2017/11/01/pranksters-create-fake-apple-s.html
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but… why?
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Funny, kinda. but like no one fell for it. they were like, um, ok. now, if they had like 3 people line up and say that they were in line for the new iPhone X and then a ton of other people lined up and camped out for a couple days thinking they found a secret new store location for the launch and then they were severely disappointed, that would be funny. And then Apple sues these guys, or the city puts them in jail, then it starts getting hilarious. Come on man, step your prankster game!
People absolutely did fell …uh, fall for it! That last guy in the video was a passer-by, and I’m sure there were others. in fact:
It was more like performance art than a prank, since the people in line were all in on it…
A few people insisted on standing in line anyway…
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I’m still not understanding. How does creating a false store front in a not-terribly surprising place for such a mundane product equal a “prank?” or even “performance art?” Similar scenario:
(Elmer sets up fake Amazon kiosk, with authentic-looking signage, at Union station in DC)
Passerby: “Oh, hey! An Amazon Kiosk. Cool – can I buy an Echo here?”
Elmer: “I’m sorry, this inventory has already been purchased. We’re just waiting for it to be picked up.”
Passerby (unperturbed): “Oh, OK.” (continues on with her day, grateful to Elmer for gifting her with an experience filled to the brim with whimsy and fun!)
2nd Passerby: “Excuse me, do you have the new Kindle Fire here?”
Elmer: “No, because YOU’VE BEEN PRANKED! This is actually a fake Amazon Kiosk, even though I’ve taken great pains to make it look just like the real thing!”
2nd Passerby: “Ummm… ok?” (Walks away, slightly annoyed, impressed that Elmer’s artistic expression was able to elicit such a visceral emotional response from him)
Public performance-art whimsy-mongers are really reaching these days.
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So the reason it wasn’t funny is because they didn’t actually set out to ruin anyone’s day?
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Yes! As any good prank should do! And in my scenario it ruins several days because they would have camped out. 
Holy cow lighten up people.
If this is ‘Performance Art’ I want my money back. It’s an attempt at a prank that fell flat.
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I put this in the category of “minimally invasive pranks.” Sorta humor lite. Goes down easy, doesn’t require a lot of thought or effort, digests well, doesn’t give you gas or diarrhea, can move on to the next thing like some fresh Trump Outrage.
“Commenting on the emotional bonds humans share with objects, or things, the installation asks the viewer to examine their own dependencies. Gaining objects, losing objects, did the object really exist? Objects and humans, which is serving which?”
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eeer no home button
I think these people heard about NuPenny and the Jerry Maguire Video Store and didn’t get why those were clever. You need more of a hook than “fake store”.
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The Jim Belushi of pranks.
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Yeah, no.
Not the first story I’ve heard of this lot, and they’ve been tedious dicks every time.
Not offensive, just unoriginal, pretentious and obnoxious.
Wow, really? I only check in on Improv Everywhere intermittently, but I usually find them generous and constructive. Occasionally pretentious, maybe, and yes there are a few that left me meh (like this one), but there are lots where they seem to be genuinely trying to brighten people’s days, like the crosswalk ballroom dancing, or the surprise wedding party.
The book signing by Chekov was also good, but I think my all-time fave, which dates from about 2004 and may not be online anymore, was when a bunch of them downloaded all three .wav songs that some local NY alternative band had on their Geocities website, memorised all the words, and descended en masse to their next back-room-of-a-bar gig, with printed T-shirts and everything. A band that normally played to about 10 people suddenly had a rabid but good-natured fanbase appear out of nowhere. IIRC the band themselves posted “Wow! What a great gig last night!” updates on their web page the next day. Innocent fun!
ETA: Whoops, it’s easily found after all. Enjoy!
(The only one I HATED was where they pretended to be U2 doing a rooftop gig, but that’s because I loathe U2 with a bright, shiny, beautiful-in-its-way passion. 
)
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Tastes vary, obviously.
I’m somewhat disabled and mentally ill. Being out in public is difficult for me at the best of times; even when protected by earphones and distracted by a book, just sitting on a bus is a screamingly unpleasant test of endurance.
Most of the “pranks” I’ve seen from this crew involve exploiting a captive audience on public transport.
The idea of being involuntarily dragged into someone’s Youtube stunt while I’m just trying to make it home alive irritates the hell out of me. Regardless of how harmless they may think it is.
On a good day, it would merely annoying. On a bad day, I’d be restraining an urge to beat the crap out of them.
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You’re right - I’d completely forgotten about the subway car stuff they do, which I don’t like or agree with. 100% agree with your feelings re. someone else’s Youtube stunt. Nothing worse than someone else forcing their idea of “funny” on you. Fair point, sir. 
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The fundamental difference between your fake Amazon kiosk and IE’s fake Apple Store is that IE took a mundane feature of NYC street life–the subway elevator–and tried to pass it off as an Apple Store.
It’s FAR from their best work, and it’s missing a bit of a punchline, but it’s much sillier (if not really funnier) than your fake Amazon kiosk analogy.
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Like Wanderfound says, tastes vary – all the examples you list seem to me to be kinda dickish. But I’m a curmudgeonly coot, so there’s that.
Because.
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