Public relations is a creative profession. Just as writers sometimes run into "writer's block," it will sometimes be difficult for your public relations team to come up with the next public relations stunt. That's why we've gathered three examples of successful PR stunts for you, for inspiration for your next brainstorm.
On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Due to the numerous bombings and fighting, large parts of Ukraine became unlivable. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without shelter. A terrible event that unfortunately plays out to this day. Many major brands have come to Ukraine's aid, but one stands out head and shoulders above the rest: Airbnb.
Airbnb is an online platform that people can use to rent out their homes or rooms. Often these properties are cheaper than hotels and a good solution for travelers.
Four days after Russia's invasion, Airbnb began a campaign in which landlords could sign up to provide free shelter to Ukrainians who no longer had a home. This action resulted in 36,000 landlords signing up to open up their homes. So far, this action has resulted in more than 100,000 refugees being given shelter.
Many big names wrote about this noble act, including former President of the United States, Barack Obama. A strong action that generated an awful lot of positive attention for the rental platform.
Throughout history, there have been remarkable women, far from all of whom received the attention they deserve. Stabilo, the brand known for its markers, launched a campaign in 2018 to highlight these women and their achievements.
Stabilo took famous black-and-white photographs of historic moments and drew a yellow marker line to "highlight" the woman who made it all possible. This campaign was well received by the public and even earned its creators several awards.
Elon Musk has made no secret of his desire to send humans to Mars. So when SpaceX launched their latest rocket, the Falcon Heavy, into space, it drew a lot of media attention. But when the Falcon Heavy suddenly launched a bright red Tesla Roadster, from which David Bowie's 1971 hit "Life on Mars?" sounded, it was considered the biggest public relations stunt in the history of the auto industry.
The success of both launches has also improved the reputation of SpaceX and Falcon Heavy. Falcon Heavy is now the most powerful rocket on Earth, so it is realistic to say that it can put heavy satellites and future space stations into orbit, carry cargo to Mars, and even take people to the moon. And that is exactly the public image Elon Musk wanted to achieve.
