A pillow fight flash mob is a social phenomenon of flash mobbing and shares many characteristics of a culture jam.
The flash mob version of massive pillow fights is distinguished by the fact that nearly all of the promotion is Internet-based. These events occur around the world, some taking the name Pillow Fight Club, a reference to Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk in which anyone could join and fight as long as they fought by the rules.[1] Both the London and Vancouver Pillow Fight Club's rules reflect that described in the book and feature film.[1]
The trend owes much to uses of modern communications technologies, including decentralised personal networking, known as smartmobbing.[citation needed] Word of the events spreads primarily via digital means, usually on the internet via email, chat rooms and text messaging which result in seemingly spontaneous mass gatherings.[1][2] Pillows are sometimes hidden and at the exact pre-arranged time or the sound of a whistle, the pillow fighters pull out their pillows and commence pillow fighting. The pillow fights can last from a few minutes to several hours.[1]