New Zealand/Vodafone Xperia Play Theft Turns Out to Be Marketing Hoax!

[dgstorm]

Yesterday, we reported that the Vodafone in New Zealand had their entire shipment of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Android phones stolen, but it turned out that it was simply a hoax, perpetrated as a marketing ploy. After posting a Twitter message explaining the heist, the story quickly went viral and was splashed across the web. They later posted the above video of the "heist", and that's when their story quickly unraveled, as the "footage" obviously was missing a lot of key evidence and seemed rather staged, like something from "America's Dumbest Criminals".

Eventually they revealed with another Tweet that it was a marketing ploy designed to kick off their new promotion for someone to "find the bandits" and win a free Xperia Play. I just have to say... the folks at Vodafone, New Zealand, (or whomever thought of this) are kinda tasteless. This is cheesy and potentially dangerous to fake a criminal act and then blast across the web. What do you guys think?

Source: PhanDroid

[SLAG IT!]

I concur it's a stupid stunt on their part and yes as dumb as "America's Dumbest Criminals". That would guarantee that I wouldn't buy that phone.

[Mujibar]

That's just poor. (Not you, Slag. Vodafone NZ.)

[SLAG IT!]

I knew what you meant Muji. Wonder how the person responsible for this marketing ruse would like it if someone pretended to destroy his home and then say "oops", it was a joke. Sorry, zero tolerance for idiocy.

[Mujibar]

I think the NZ authorities may have something to say about it.

[SLAG IT!]

I hope they do. I don't condone the pretending of someone's property either. Was hoping to make a point about how foolish this was.