Storified by CBC News Community ·
Wed, Jan 15 2014 12:45:26
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For all of the wild and interesting things one might see in the streets of New York City, a goo-spewing animatronic demon baby is still enough to cause quite a stir.
As part of its marketing efforts for the horror film Devil's Due, in theatres this Friday, 20th Century Fox recently unleashed a remote-controlled devil child upon the people of New York.
The resulting hidden-camera prank video is as hilarious as it is terrifying. Fair warning: Devil baby cannot be unseen.
Devil Baby Attack ·
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Produced by the New York-based viral marketing company Thinkmodo, Devil Baby Attack has been tearing up the web this week, racking up more than seven million views on YouTube in just over one day.
In the video, passers-by are seen investigating a seemingly abandoned baby carriage that roams around on its own via remote control.
When a good samaritan leans in to check on the situation, out pops the screaming, red-eyed, head-banging devil baby -- sometimes with his middle finger displayed or a face full of fake vomit to spew.
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While most of the pedestrians in the video scream and appear terrified of the strange-looking robo-child, a few appear entirely un-fazed.
Perhaps they're getting used to this type of "viral" marketing campaign?
In October 2013, Thinkmodo made headlines with a similar viral prank video that promoted the remake of the movie Carrie.
For their "Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise" video, Thinkmodo's team rigged a Manhattan coffee shop to make it appear as though a "possessed" woman who was angry about her spilled coffee had telekinetic powers.
Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise ·
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The video was wildly successful, scoring international news coverage and millions of views online. It currently has more than 52 million views on YouTube and continues to attract comments to this day.
Thinkmodo is also the agency behind a successful 2012 marketing stunt for the film Chronicle.
In the YouTube video promoting that film, three people appear to fly through the skies of Manhattan, no doubt prompting many below to turn their smartphones to the sky.
The flying humans were in fact human-shaped remote controlled planes.
Flying People in New York City ·
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Stepping outside the box a bit, Lionsgate used the randomized video chat service Chatroullete to promote it's film The Last Exorcism in 2010.
In that case, a young woman would pose seductively in front of the camera before turning into a demonic monster and lunging forward. A URL for the film's website would then be displayed onscreen.
The campaign went on to win multiple advertising awards, and a highlight reel of reactions from terrified young men has more than eight million hits on YouTube.
The Last Exorcism - BEST OF Chatroulette reactions ·
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While not as technologically sophisticated as the Devil Baby Attack or Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise, we'd be remiss to mention the world's very first viral film campaign: The Blair Witch Project.
In 1999, long before YouTube even existed, filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez set the standard for online guerilla marketing campaigns.
Using message boards, forums, a spooky website, missing persons leaflets, posters and several low-budget film trailers, the Blair Witch Project's creators were able to successfully convince many movie-goers their mockumentary might actually be real, comprised entirely of "found footage" from a trio killed by The Blair Witch. 
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According to MWP Digital Media, the marketing team paid such attention to detail that if one were to look at the film's IMDb's page before the film was released, all three actors were listed as ‘missing, presumed dead.'
Estimated to have cost just $60,000 to make, The Blair Witch Project went in to gross more than $248 million at the U.S. box office, making it one of the most successful independent films of all time.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) - Trailer ·
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What are your thoughts on scary viral marketing stunts? Do they make you more likely to go see a film, or could you do without the hype?