Are big money PR stunts still generating the ROI you need?
Stunts are a big thing in PR but they are costly, take a huge amount of time and resource and don't always land.
❓Are they still worth it ❓
💯 as long as you have very clear objectives and, as ever, know exactly who you want to reach, why and how you are going to measure the results.
Most stunts are about brand awareness.
🐕 The much talked about Snoop Dogg campaign for the smokeless stove business Solo Stove was deemed a disaster because it didn't immediately sell products. This was a pretty unrealistic objective for a one time purchase product in November - not a time renowned for people investing in their gardens or sitting outside (probs is in LA where Snoop lives but surely not across most of the rest of the USA or Europe?).
I LOVE these stunts from The Ordinary and local agency One Agency Media.
So what do you need to consider when planning a stunt?
👯 - Who is your audience? Where are they? Is this aiming to generate social buzz or media coverage or both? Do you want members of the public to engage? For The Ordinary stunt, the Thames part saw regular folk taking pics of it but the Harrods activity was CGI so very much more of an online campaign because there was nothing to see IRL. It was clever though because there is no avoiding knowing where the pop-up shop is when it saw so many shares.
💰 How much budget do you have? As I said, stunts are often not cheap. CGI might be less expensive than hiring a boat and making a giant bottle of your product but it takes time and skills to get right.
🗞 Is it newsworthy? If you want to drive media coverage then what's the hook? Media won't write about you just because you think it is interesting. The very first, big CGI stunts all bagged themselves a lot of coverage but are journalists not wanting to appear to be tricked into thinking content is real when it isn't now?
💲 Brand awareness vs sales. In an increasingly 'performance marketing' led world, some brands seem to have forgotten that they need brand awareness and endorsements to generate sales - not just ads ads ads. If I see an ad for an unknown brand, I am going to check them out on media sites and social to see if they are legit. This is harder to measure but with the right metrics and some robust research (market penetration for example you can benchmark at the beginning and measure again at the end).
As always, get clear on your why and you will be on to a winner.
Our top three recent stunts are:
For me (Daisy) It’s The Ordinary - as already covered!
Katie, our account exec chose - Jacquemus’ and it's driving Le Bambino bags
Sam, DATS’ newest account manager, went for - The Griselda truck!
Katie said: “This is my favourite because it combines everything I love about PR: it is creative, innovative and surprising.
“This was one of the first CGI ads I’d seen and I remember the buzz when the photos and videos first came out, with everyone wondering how they could possibly make this work and have permission to do something so bold in Paris.
“The stunt highlights how Jacquemus are consistently thinking outside the box to leave a lasting impression, and I think it’s a great example of how brands can take a relatively simple idea, and turn it into something viral.”
Sam said: “Griselda’s ‘Cocaine Truck’ was a stunt that emulates the old P.T Barnum adage: ‘there really is no such thing as bad publicity’.
“Some people definitely found it controversial, and I will admit that the idea of creating a hulking HGV that prowls the streets of Paris pretending to snort illegal drugs from the roadway does sound quite mad.
“But for me, it struck the right balance of risque; edgy enough to grab headlines, safe enough not to damage the brand. It got coverage in print, across online and went viral via social, and is a great example to anyone that says the PR stunt has had its time in the sun.”
PS if in doubt - float it down the Thames!