For Coke Zero’s joint promotion of the new James Bond film “Skyfall,” Belgian ad agency Duval Guillaume Modern set up an elaborate stunt in the Antwerp central train station. It began when unsuspecting commuters walked up to a Coke vending machine, which displayed a promotional offer that came with a hitch. They could win two free tickets to a special screening of “Skyfall,” if they could get to the vending machine on Platform Six within 70 seconds.

About 70 young guys took up the challenge, unaware that several obstacles, including a stunning Lady in Red, would obstruct their path. Duval Guillaume says that none of the customers were real actors, but adds that every other detail was carefully orchestrated beforehand, including the use of ten strategically placed cameras and a security detail to intervene if anything went wrong.

This type of experiential marketing is like an offshoot of reality TV shows that make real people the “stars” and semi-real situations the entertainment. In this case, consumers encounter the brand accidentally while out and about, then get caught up in an adventure. Participants in this joint Coke/James Bond promotion experience the adrenaline rush of 007 as they dash between vending machines. The ad agency catches the “you’re on candid camera” moment on video, helps it to go viral via social media, and counts up the number of “views” and “likes” it gets on YouTube.