It should come as no surprise that many of the best advertising ideas are not ads in the digital and social media age.

Take TNT’s new dramatic entrance into the Belgium market.  If you have ever been to Belgium, you would know it is one of the safest and most peaceful countries in the world.

Well, TNT has literally brought drama to this tranquil country with the placement of a big red push button in the small town square of Flanders. A sign with the text “Push to add drama” invited people to use the button. People daring to push it were confronted with a flash mob of ambulances, fist fights, police shootouts, bikini-clad motorcyclists, and finally a banner that reveals the message, “TNT. Your Daily Dose of Drama.”

As you expect, there is a video of the flash mob that has gone viral (as seen above) and it has already racked up over 28 million views in less than a week.

Of course, flash mobs and viral videos are not new.  Last month in France, a young woman in Paris sampled the new Q10+ Nivea cream and ended up being encircled by a flash mob of handsome flower vendors, joggers, policeman, firemen, and even a modern day shining knight on a white horse.

Needless to say, this execution was a huge viral hit with the French ladies with nearly a half-million hits.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Mini launched the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman (JCW) with “Thrill Bench”, a guerilla B2B campaign that ran during the recent Geneva International Motor Show.

A special designed “Thrill Bench” was placed at bus stops and in front of luxury hotels to raise awareness to the trade press and automobile managers. As soon as people sat on the bench, a MINI John Cooper Works Countryman drove up and triggered the bench seats to magically rumble, synchronized to the powerful sound of the JCW engine.

What I love about all three of these advertising ideas is that they are based are product benefits creatively brought to life through fresh, non-traditional executions.  Talk about engaging consumers in a fun, memorable way.

Once again, this is a good reminder that today’s most successful ad agencies are in the ideas business, not the advertising business.