So I was driving to work the other day, heading into downtown Cleveland. I'm often kind of immune to my surroundings, off in my own world; but a billboard jumped out at me. An attractive, 40-foot tall woman was speaking directly to me!

"Hey Stud," she said coyly. I knew she was talking to me; but how did she know me, and the fact I'm so studly, I wondered? As I pondered this, I was barely able to notice the ad was for a casino across the Canadian border.

It got me thinking. We online PR people and social media advocates spend a lot of time talking about the value of conversations. I was all over Cluetrain when it came out, and bought Al Ries' book declaring the rise of PR and death of advertising as soon as it hit the virtual shelves.

We're too sophisticated for such crude "traditional" marketing to have any impact. I'd never buy a beer or a car based on advertising featuring attractive people, and neither would you. Right?

Further thinking this over, I walked into my office lobby and turned to look out onto the city street in time to see a pretty girl strutting past a group of men. I think they all got whiplash as they turned to watch this woman walk. Wow, a mini focus group on an "interruption" example in action.

Could pretty women and brain dead slogans such as "Hey Stud" really be smart marketing tactics? I think the answer is this: They are smart conversation starters. Good interruption marketing can indeed hit a consumer over the head and stun him or her for a moment.

Then it's up to the marketer/organization to capitalize on the seized prospect. Tell me what to do next - but you have only a split second. Call me a stud, then invite me to come hang out with you, or gamble, or buy your wares, whatever. But do it fast, because your looks and/or message will only be in my male brain for a split second.

Hit me, then convert me through a real conversation. This is the place of interruption marketing as I see it.