Hearing new and creative PR stunts happening every day, leaves you curious how people come up with these bizarre ideas. Always so simple yet so fanatically smart. As I came across one comical PR campaign back in September, I became hooked, it has become a weekly ritual for me to look up PR stunts of the week. Some successful, some not so successful.
What makes a good PR Campaign? Personally, and most obviously, I would say that the most important factor of a good PR campaign is that it should be engaging and entertaining. Something humorous is often a success, depending on the brand or product of course. It is important that the campaign is going to make the customers want to share it with their friends through different means; social media, sharing links privately or even making people talk about it in person.
Here are some of the most successful campaigns that caught my eye over the past few months.
- KFC will give $11,000 to first baby born on Sept. 9 who’s named Harland
Want a quick and easy way to make $11,000? Have a baby! Well… maybe not quick, and definitely not easy. But it certainly is a way, as KFC are offering $11,000 to name your baby after Colonel Harland David Sanders himself to mark the 128th birthday of KFC.
This bizarre idea is a brilliant way to get the conversations sparking between customers. It is also memorable, as there is going to be a human walking around to ensure that people don’t forget the famous name.
Although this is a great way to guarantee your future child a hard time growing up at school, is it really worth $11,000?
- Deliveroo’s homage to the Friends meat trifle
Everybody loves friends (well, if you’re not a millennial), and Deliveroo is no exception. They boldly decided to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the final episode of friends which was back in 2004, by putting one of the show’s most infamous meals on the menu.
In “The One Where Ross Got High”, Rachel contributes to their thanksgiving meal by making the glorious meat trifle. Of all meals on the Tv show, Deliveroo decided to put this meal on the menu, available to order for £6.
Combining lady fingers, jam, custard, raspberries, beef sautéed with peas and onion, bananas and whipped cream (you read that in the voice of Rachel, didn’t you?). The desert was available to order through Deliveroo’s ‘Regina Philange’ pop-up shop for a limited time.
Apparently, to my surprise, it actually didn’t taste like feet! Reports suggest that it was unexpectedly tasty. Although as much as I fully support this campaign, the dessert would not be my cup of tea!
- Church stages screening of The Exorcist to raise money for restoration
This is something that I would most definitely NOT be taking part in. But it is without a doubt going to get people talking.
One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, The Exorcist was screened in a church in Strasbourg, France on the 20th of September this year as part of the annual Film Festival. The purpose of this campaign was to raise money which will go towards the structural restoration of the church.
The choice in venue goes hand in hand with the film which is based on a real-life exorcism carried out by a Roman Catholic priest in the US.
You certainly need to be a brave character to even consider appearing at a screening like this
This campaign is relative, engaging and audacious!
- Russians promised ‘free pizza for life’ in exchange for a permanent Domino’s logo tattoo
Unlike the above campaign, this is one that I would 100% consider taking part in. I mean, free pizza? For life? For a cute pizza tattoo? Yes please!
Domino’s Pizza in Russia launched this competition to give free pizza’s for life for anyone who got the domino’s logo permanently tattooed on their body. This took over social media pretty swiftly and there were more than plenty people willing to jump at the opportunity. Again, free pizza? Why wouldn’t you?
With these kinds of comical PR campaigns, the media will come to you, and the news will spread by itself. However, it is still important for the company to make it as shareable as possible. The campaign needs to be distributed wisely to the audience, ensuring that the correct target audience, socials and journalists are being reached. This will guarantee that your creative idea for a campaign won’t go to waste.
Aoibheann McKinley is a final year BSc in Communication Management & Public Relations student at Ulster University. She can be found at: LinkedIn – https://uk.linkedin.com/in/aoibheann-mckinley 870316112 ; Twitter – @aoibheannmckinl ; Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/aoibhymcmua/?hl=en