Follow-up with Interference CEO

It has been over 3 weeks since Turner Broadcasting and Interface marketing agency caused a bomb scare in the city of Boston and the media still finds different ways to talk about it. On February 19th, Sam Ewen, CEO and founder of guerrilla marketing agency Interference, spoke with BrandWeek about the campaign situation for the first time.

A few questions in, it was clear that although Ewen was finally speaking to the media he wasn't saying much. In his words, "I can't really speak on their desires for it", "...I can't speak [with authority] on that", "that's as much as I can tell you, anyway", "...we just can't get into it now". Being one of the main planners for the Aqua Teen stunt, you know he knows it all so why does he have to keep so much unsaid? Well, I'm sure it is a combination of legal and personal disclosure so I'll let it go, so what did he say of substance?

Brandweek shows no hessitation and directly asked Ewen whether the devices were supposed to look like bombs and if it was their intention. Ewen, answering in what seemed to be an uneven tone, with saying it wasn't intentional and he "couldn't comment on whether they looked like bombs or not. It's not my training or specialty". Honestly, it is not many peoples specialty, bomb citing, but I think many of us would know if they saw a bomb or not (assuming it wasn't hiding in a computer or a person).
When asked about the "street team", Ewen disagreed with the way they responded to the media's questions by saying "there was absolutely no direction to behave in a certain way or to give a press conference". Being a young guerilla marketer you would think he would comment on the humor that the 2 men brought to the situation but again, legality over rules at points.
One questionable answer from Ewen was when asked if they had thought about possibly seeing the campaign as threat, he replied by saying they weren't designed to but rather "they were designed for what they were, which was a showcase, the characters … That's as much as I can tell you, anyway".
Ewen is obviously a respected marketing, specially in guerilla marketing so when Brandweek asked him about the guerilla marketing industry he had quite a detailed answer. As most would agree he says that the industry is growing and it being used for more than then the launch of a new product or brand. He follows up by explaining because this growth it forces hi s company as well as many others to push the creative level "to a point where people sometimes want to be creative for creativity's sake" Just like the higher level of creativity in commercials, guerilla marketing is being pushed because it is now more common then ever.
One last question that interested me was the discussion on which brands have creditability to do guerilla marketing and which ones do not. Ewen answered with a vague response but pointed out that essentially if you do it right, any brand can benefit from guerilla marketing.

All and all, Ewen is an intelligent marketer but was forced to hold back interesting information on about the Turner situation. I hope that in the months to come he will be re-interviewed and not answer with "...I can't speak [with authority] on that" because we know he has authority.