Take a closer look next time you pass the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on Front Street in Toronto – is that a man sitting in a bedroom in the front window?

Yes, yes it is. Sony of Canada is attempting to break a speed-reading record at the theatre as part of the global campaign promoting its new e-book readers, the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition.

The brand has hired Dave Farrow, who is a Guinness Book of World Records holder for memorization, to sit in the window of the theatre for 17 days reading books on the Sony products. As part of the stunt, Farrow will attempt to set a record for the fastest reading of one of William Shakespeare’s plays.

Sony will donate two of their e-readers to public libraries for every book that Farrow reads between Sept. 7 and 24.

The stunt is part of a larger ad campaign that includes radio and OOH highlighting the new products. The ads will drive consumers to view the stunt, Hao Huang, creative lead, Sony of Canada, tells MiC.

The campaign creative comes from Sony Europe and UM in Toronto handled the local media buy.

The OOH is displayed at locations near the event and at key points of interest for the target demographic, primarily females 35 to 55 who are avid readers and secondarily male and female travellers and executives. The campaign runs until Oct. 3.

The Sony Reader informational kiosk.

A closer look at Farrow.

Dave ‘World’s Greatest Memory’ Farrow