No Pants, No Problem

Publicity stunts are nothing new. P.T. Barnum organized circus parades in the 1800s to make sure locals knew the circus was in town. Monopoly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the iconic board game by having real investment bankers play Monopoly for real money. And this Sunday transit riders in cities around the world will ride the subway pantless.

International No Pants Subway Day started as a joke, but it also has the beneficial side effect of publicizing subways and streetcars as a youthful, fun and efficient form of transportation.

L.A.'s no pants day is being promoted on various social media platforms. Videos promoting the event are on YouTube.

Questions...

•Other than not being alarmed when large numbers of (mostly young) people suddenly show up without pants, how much should Metro promote this event?

•Why might Metro NOT want to promote the event? What could go wrong? Does it matter that pantsless riders are encouraged to meet at designated locations and be part of a group with a ride captain?

•Is this a good publicity stunt? What types of media attention could you imagine the pantsless riders getting?

•From a publicity perspective, why is it a good idea to do this on a Sunday?