A masked crypto enthusiast scaled the iconic Hollywood sign on Thursday, turning Los Angeles’s most famous landmark into his personal billboard for yet another questionable token launch. The daredevil, clad in dark clothing and a ski mask, spent nearly an hour perched atop the “D” while waving a flag promoting something called “Vigilante Token.”
The stunt, which was part of a planned marketing campaign for VIGI token, had been teased on social media the day before, promising the “most viral” token launch ever. Well, they weren’t wrong about the viral part. LAPD, park rangers, and a police helicopter quickly converged on the scene, with an ambulance standing by for good measure. The incident reflects the growing trend of decentralized finance platforms gaining mainstream attention.
Crypto marketers promised viral fame and delivered – by attracting police, park rangers, and a helicopter to their Hollywood sign stunt.
The token’s performance was as volatile as you’d expect from a crypto project launched via illegal stunt. VIGI’s price skyrocketed an eye-watering 63,140% before promptly crashing back to Earth, losing between 69% and 99.5% of its value within 24 hours. So much for sustainable growth. The token reached a peak market cap of $5.5 million during the publicity stunt. Smart contract vulnerabilities often contribute to such dramatic price swings in new token launches.
This isn’t the first time someone’s used the Hollywood sign for unauthorized shenanigans. In 2021, pranksters changed it to read “Hollyboob,” and on New Year’s Day 2017, someone transformed it into “HOLLYWeeD.” The sign, privately maintained by the Hollywood Sign Trust, isn’t exactly thrilled about these recurring episodes.
The climber eventually descended and was taken into custody, likely facing misdemeanor trespassing charges. Surprisingly, no vandalism charges were filed since the sign remained undamaged.
The Vigilante team, apparently unfazed by their token’s price nosedive, is already bragging about plans for another stunt that’ll be “10x bigger.”
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Sign Trust expressed gratitude for LAPD’s quick response, probably wondering what they did to deserve becoming crypto’s favorite marketing prop. The incident has sparked debate about cryptocurrency marketing tactics, though it’s hard to imagine this discussion will deter the next attention-seeking token launcher from trying something equally outrageous.
