Fancy that, a circus at a bus stop

You’re standing at the bus stop, counting the minutes until your bus comes along, when you notice a blue poster in the shelter that instantly grabs your attention.

“Bored?” it says in big white letters.

Then, underneath, in smaller type: “Use your mobile device to entertain yourself. Right now. Go to BornMobile.com/Bored.”

You pull out your smartphone and type in the address.

A few moments later, the bus you’ve been waiting for pulls up. It’s a bus filled with circus performers.

They disembark one at a time: A man on stilts, a clown, a juggler, a Chinese dragon, a girl swirling a yellow banner.

Suddenly the bus stop is transformed into a three-ring extravaganza as the circus performers put on a show. You’re certainly not bored any more.

The fun alternative media stunt was done recently in Los Angeles by Qualcomm, a wireless and mobile technologies company. The point? To show how much better life can be with mobile technology.

The circus performers were one of several fun options offered to those waiting at a downtown bus stop.

Another sign read “In a hurry?” After bus stop patrons visited the associated URL, a slick yellow Lamborghini pulled up.

The woman inside offered the person a ride to their destination, which was sure to get them there much faster than the bus.

A third option asked, “Seen it all?” This URL triggered the arrival of a dog sled, pulling a man who invited the bus patron to hop aboard.

Other options triggered a horse-drawn carriage and the arrival of some adorable puppies.

The stunt worked because it was so unexpected. Bus stops are typically dull and boring, not the place where something out-of-the-ordinary occurs.

By serving up such a surprising treat, Qualcomm drove home the point that mobile really can make life more interesting.

Plus the campaign has earned a second life online. A video with highlights of the stunt has gotten more than 2 million views on YouTube.

Tags: alternative media, alternative media circus, alternative media stunt, campaign, los angeles, media, mobile, online, qualcomm, qualcomm bus stop, qualcomm bus stop video, smartphone, URL, wireless