How to Prank Digg for $9.95
A comedy article
by Harmon Leon  2,232  7
09/20/2010 04:42 PM 55705 views
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What would this look like on the Digg building?
Surely you know Digg.com: it's the social news site where users can submit interesting stories, videos, or photos they've found from around the web. You can also vote a story up, or "digg" it, if you will. Ranked the web's 113th most popular site, Digg can make or break the popularity of a website's story.
Recently, I decided to prank the Digg headquarters in San Francisco for $9.95. My idea was to leave a large, Banksy-style street art display of the Reddit Alien logo on the front doors of Digg, because nothing makes Digg users more frustrated than being compared to Reddit.
Surely you know Reddit.com: it's the social news site where users can submit interesting stories, videos, or photos they've found from around the web. You can also vote a story up, or "reddit" it, if you will.
Supplies Needed to Prank Digg Headquarters:
- Two (2) large Reddit Alien logos ($3.47)
- Duct tape ($2.99)
- Scotch tape ($1.99)
- Scissors
- Pencil/pen
- Digital camera
- A delicious lemon drink (very important) ($1.50)
Step One: I go to Kinkos and pick up two enlarged Reddit Alien logos. After assuring the disgruntled Kinko's worker that I own the copyright to the logo, I pay her the $3.47.
Step Two: With my scissors, I trim the Reddit Alien logo around the edges. I take a sip of my delicious lemon drink.
Step Three: I jump in my car and drive to the Digg Headquarters at 135 Mississippi Street in San Francisco. The Reddit Alien makes for a good passenger.
I make sure to sojourn across town in the early morning, before the Digg workers show up for work.
Step Four: Arriving at Digg HQ, the only person around is a homeless person in a bundle of blankets in the doorway. I check to be sure it is not Kevin Rose.
Fortunately, it was only Jay Adelson.
Slapping the duct tape onto the back of the Reddit Alien, I'm ready to give the Digg headquarters the Banksy treatment.
Step Five: Waiting for a few early morning dog walkers to pass, I move into action and slap the first Reddit Alien to the side of 135 Mississippi.
I encounter a little bit of difficulty with the right side logo. There's a handicapped button on the column, so I need to cut out space in the logo so the handicapped plate can burst through the alien's belly, Alien-style. This complication causes the homeless man to start yelling at me, drawing attention to those passing by.
Step Six: I sit back across the street and admire my work. Digg workers start showing up with WTF? expressions on their faces. Did the company get sold to Reddit over the weekend? I laugh a maniacal laugh. Once again I enjoy my delicious lemon drink before I exit through the gift shop.
Will Digg supporters prank Reddit in return? Or are there any Digg supporters left? Post your predictions below!
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Like This? Rate It!
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Funny
14 votes
3.5
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054172663
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Also Recommended on ZUG:
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Chuckleworthy
4 votes
2.3
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Luke McKinney 11,193  112
09/20/2010 06:21 PM
I need to know if your week lemon drink is a reference to Simon Quinlank. Answer me ANSWER ME!
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Chuckleworthy
4 votes
2.5
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054172675
BC Bud 13,797 15
09/20/2010 08:07 PM
ANSWER ME!
42!
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Chuckleworthy
1 votes
2.0
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054172730
Pants 14,252 17
09/21/2010 09:26 AM
My idea was to leave a large, Banksy-style street art display of the Reddit Alien logo on the front doors of Digg, because nothing makes Digg users more frustrated than being compared to Reddit.
I thought Banksy's work was strictly stencil, spray paint, and/or readymade. You sicken me sir.
So uhhh, what did you do with the scotch tape that you bought? Did you give it to the homeless man?
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Hilarious
5 votes
4.6
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054172863
Spicey McHaggis 117,791 37
09/21/2010 10:45 PM
I'm pretty sure this prank was designed to be link bait, because honestly it wasn't all that great as pranks go. Hence, I dutifully submitted it to Digg in the hopes of driving a little traffic this way. Sure enough, it has gotten quite a few diggs and a number of comments. Most of the comments are still bitching about Digg v4, but this one stuck out to me:
Dear Zug,
For future attempts at pranking please see the collegehumor.com prank war for inspiration. Your Shakespeare is weak.
Sincerely,
Digg
Now I'm sure that one commenter can't possibly speak for the entire website, but for the sake of argument, let's say that rjc309 is indeed the ambassador for Digg and he has accused Zug , as a collective entity, of having "weak Shakespeare". How do you propose we strengthen our Shakespeare?
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Funny
3 votes
3.3
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Declan McManus Original since 2010 131,891 36
09/21/2010 10:56 PM
To strengthen Shakespeare, one needs a good diet.
With iron.
Rebar, in particular.
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Funny
1 votes
3.0
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054172866
Declan McManus Original since 2010 131,891 36
09/21/2010 11:00 PM
or to strengthen the Shakespeare-stain'd soul, music.
A lovely melody by Rebar Macintire, perhaps.
I say that because in an issue of Entertainment Weekly, a number of years ago, she said she was email/text buddies with Bush 41.
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Amusing
1 votes
1.0
/live?func=new_user&msgid=1054173396
UofL3000 20 8
09/25/2010 02:24 PM
I laughed hard at the Kevin Rose joke.
Awesome article!
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