The PR Stunt is one of the strangest, yet potentially most powerful form of marketing and Public Relations in existence. Today we are going to examine this technique, and I will show you some famous examples.

So what is a PR stunt?

Essentially it is the art of doing something that will be discussed by the media. It therefore shares a lot of similarities with numerous viral marketing techniques, but most often a PR stunt is an actual action or event, as opposed to a piece of written content.

Why PR Stunts are so Powerful

If done successfully, PR stunts can drive huge amounts of FREE publicity. Sometimes this can lead to millions of dollars of media attention. PR stunts can also affect a companies perceived brand awareness… which leads us on nicely to….

The Dangers of PR Stunts

As well as the obvious dangers that some stunts can have, if done poorly, they can result in a negative effect on your brand. Remember, customers don’t like to be tricked, so pretending you are a regular guy when really you are an advertising rep, can be dangerous.

Some PR Stunt Examples

HAAGEN DAZS: To promote their new Latin American ice-cream Dulce de Leche, Haagen Dazs fill Canary Wharf with Latin music and professional tango dancing couples.

WILKINSON SWORD QUATTRO RAZOR: With the novel concept of “On-Beard Advertising”, suited gentlemen snake their way round the City with the number 4 shaved into their beards.

INTEL CENTRINO: To prove you can connect wirelessly to the internet with the Centrino processor, Intel put a manned office on the back of a truck and take it on tour of London, Manchester, Paris and Cannes.