Top 10 PR and marketing stunts and campaigns of July 2013
By Rich Leigh on Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Before getting started, if you study, work in or wish to advertise within PR/marketing, I’m creating something you’ll probably like. 100 PR Examples to Inspire and Entertain is a free e-book I’m putting together and if you’d like to know more about it (or, if you’re part of a company that would like to get in front of bajillions* of people in the industry) click this link right here.
Moving on, as mentioned in this blog from the beginning of April, I’ve been able to reward PRexamples.com contributors for a few months now in the shape of a prize for the author of the most popular post on the site in any given month.
Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the fourth winner of the £50 is!
Here, in reverse order, are the top 10 PR and marketing stunts and campaigns of the month, compiled by looking at the best-read posts on the site by unique visitor. (There are loads of other great posts from throughout July, so, as always, thanks to the contributors – you can see the full July archive here).
10. Greenpeace Scale The Shard – designed to highlight Shell’s plans to drill for oil in the Arctic, this stunt really got the world talking. The post, which captured events as they unfolded, was put together by Taylor Herring co-founder James Herring.
9. Poor PR person braves bear suit in tropical heat for Hasbro royal baby stunt – Hasbro’s stunt was, like the majority of the campaigns we saw in relation to a baby who is already a thousand times more important than you or I will ever be, so-so. But it appears the industry felt collectively sorry for the poor PR who had to pull on a bear suit in 30 degree temperature, hence the post’s popularity.
8. 24-Hour Window Shopping: Kate Spade Launches New ‘Saturday’ Collection – real life window shopping ensued as New Yorkers were encouraged to make a purchase via Paypal on a giant touch-screen window, any time of the day or night. Post by WPR’s Zara Free
7. Cluck Cluck! Royal Mail apologises for lost Nando’s voucher with chicken pic – a mislaid courtesy voucher resulted in the actual Royal Mail sending a drawing of a chicken to say sorry. Has to be read to be understood and/or believed. Post by Leeds Met PR student Faye Oakey
6. Morrisons’ Wimbledon branch changes name to ‘Murriwins’ in quick PR move – Andy Murray’s Wimbledone win feels like it was aaages ago, but this piggybacking stunt by a British supermarket has crept in as one of the most popular of the month.
5. Douwe Egberts launches world’s first yawn-activated coffee vending machine – using facial recognition software, Douwe Egberts recently surprised tired airport-goers in South Africa with hundreds of free coffees. Post by The Write Angle’s Ryan Owen Gibson
4. Heineken’s Departure Roulette: travellers asked to drop travel plans in favour of unknown destinations – the second airport-related campaign gave travellers the chance to drop their existing travel plans in favour of the next first class flight to one of ten locations – but it wasn’t without its catches!
3. Alan Partridge Movie Premiere Outrage! – file this one under calculated PR outrage, ‘Anglia Square not Leicester Square’ was (likely) a campaign designed to look like public outcry that only ever had one outcome – Alan was coming home. To those of you who aren’t Partridge fans, I don’t know if we can be friends. Post by James Herring
2. A new way to Get Lucky…Durex teams up with Daft Punk – perhaps the most obvious yet simply brilliant marketing tie-in I’ve seen in a long while. Post by WAA’s Alex Mansell
Which brings us to…
1. Paddy Power sends giant ugly babies around London in royal birth stunt – It’s only fitting the most popular post this month is a royal baby one. Bookmaker Paddy Power sent four creepy-looking man babies around London, posing in front of various landmarks as they did so. The branding is subtle, but it’s nothing less than what we’ve all come to expect from the brand. Post by WAA’s Alex Mansell, who wins this month’s £50 prize!
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Feel free to get in touch with any campaigns or stunts you think should feature on PRexamples.com by emailing me on [email protected] (you’ll always be credited). If you’d like to blog for the site, click this link here!
*Yes, bajillions
