I have NO IDEA where THIS Harlem Shake came from, who started it, or why, but it’s everywhere. The “Harlem Shake” I know was an actual dance performed by Diddy (a.k.a. P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs (I think he finally settled on a name)) and other New York Hip-Hop artists over a decade ago. It just goes to show what can happen when you’re given a camera, some editing software, some random music and a random idea. Put that together with some internet and a very popular video sharing site, and you just might have a marketing tool.
Again, I still haven’t seen the original, but I think it’s crazy how businesses, organizations, schools, professional sports teams, first-responders, and even an army have made their own version of this video. I think with the times we live in, conventional approaches to some things, like marketing and advertising, will sometimes take a back seat because of how the internet has changed. Tons of people post their thoughts and ideas online in various formats, but sometimes those small ideas turn out to be a crazy short video clip that goes viral.