That time $3M was put inside a Vancouver bus shelter to test the glass

That time $3 million was put inside a Vancouver bus shelter to test the glass

"$3 million" inside a Vancouver bus stop to test a 3M security film. (Rethink Communications)

Remember that time when “$3 million” was put inside a bus stop in downtown Vancouver to test the durability of the safety glass for a clever marketing stunt?

No, this long predates YouTuber and generous philanthropist Mr. Beast.

But this happened nearly two decades ago, when 3M’s local dealer publicly tested a product called Scotchshield, which is an added clear film application to strengthen the glass.

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Currently, it is hard to imagine such a marketing ploy being attempted, with rampant vandalism and public safety issues now front and centre in public discourse — especially with vandals smashing glass windows, and most recently even the smashing of a SkyTrain station’s brand-new vending machine to steal its contents of sushi.

In 2005, 3M tested the product by applying the film on the glass case for the advertising space on a bus stop located at the intersection of Broughton and West Pender streets.

Stacks of money were placed inside the glass case to fill up more than half of the volume with what convincingly looked like $3 million of cash. However, in reality, as it was later shared, only $500 of real money was inside the case, and the remainder was fake money. The real money was placed on top.

3m bus stop vancouver $3 million three million dollars marketing stunt

“$3 million” inside a Vancouver bus stop to test a 3M security film. (Rethink Communications)

The public was invited to do their best to break through the glass to earn the cash. Over 100 people tried to break glass, with their methods limited to using their feet to kick through the glass. A contracted security guard posted next to the bus stop at all times made sure of this.

But no one was successful. The marketing stunt came to a halt after just one day when the security guard noticed the metal frame of the glass case had been weakened from the constant barrage of physical pressure.

3m security glass vancouver bus stop three million dollars

“$3 million” inside a Vancouver bus stop to test a 3M security film. (Rethink Communications)

It is estimated the 3M product received over $1 million in free publicity from all the organic local and national media coverage it earned at the time, and the cost of the stunt was just $6,000, including the cost of installing lights inside the case for the nighttime illumination of the cash.

Over time, the ploy has gained legendary fame amongst marketing circles, and in more recent years, the legend has found a new life over social media with the false assumption that the case was completely filled with real money.

Rethink Communications, the marketing adjacent behind the campaign, shared that its client was subsequently flooded with calls and had a three-month backlog of orders for Scotchshield. The stunt also won Rethink, which was founded and at the time solely based in Vancouver, accolades and helped propel their business to expand to new markets across the country.

Forms of security glass coating, such as those from 3M, are now highly common for many storefronts in the city. The film not only provides glass surfaces with added strength, but it also keeps it intact when it shatters as a safety measure.

The last time a similar stunt saw such publicity was in late 2019, when Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s Cybertruck. During a live demonstration to test the vehicle’s armoured glass, a metal ball smashed the window upon the first impact.

In Fall 2023, the Government of British Columbia will begin the application intake process for a $10.5 million funding program to provide small businesses with financial support to cover the cost of vandalism damage and perform security upgrades, including vandalism prevention measures such as security glass coating. The Securing Small Business Rebate Program will provide businesses with up to $2,000 for the cost of repairs due to vandalism, and up to $1,000 for vandalism prevention.

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