Vlad A. Ionescu, founder of Earthly, executed a bold and humorous stunt at PlatformCon by attending dressed in funeral attire with a sash declaring "Platform Engineering is Dead." Initially conceived as a joke during a team brainstorming session, the idea evolved into a well-orchestrated plan involving funeral cards and vials labeled "ENGINEER TEARS," which humorously critiqued issues like legacy migrations and broken scorecards. Despite logistical challenges, including last-minute printing and crafting the sash, Ionescu's performance resonated with attendees, sparking laughter and curiosity about Earthly's offerings. The act gained significant attention, even drawing the interest of prominent figures like Kelsey Hightower, and was praised by event organizer Kaspar for its creativity. The stunt effectively engaged the audience by tapping into shared industry frustrations with a comedic yet truthful narrative, leaving a memorable impact on the conference.