Public relations is a creative profession. Just as writers sometimes run into a “writer's block”, it will sometimes be difficult for your PR team to come up with the next PR stunt. That's why we've collected three examples of successful PR stunts for you to inspire your next brainstorm.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Due to the many bombings and battles, large parts of Ukraine became unlivable. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without shelter. A terrible event that unfortunately continues to this day. Many major brands have come to Ukraine's aid, but one stands head and shoulders above all else: Airbnb.
Airbnb is an online platform that people can use to rent out their home or room. These properties are often cheaper than hotels and are a good solution for travelers.
Four days after Russia invaded, Airbnb launched a campaign allowing hosts to sign up to provide free accommodation to Ukrainians who no longer had a home. This action led to 36,000 landlords signing up to open their homes. So far, this action ensured that more than 100,000 refugees have received shelter.
Many big names wrote about this noble act, including former President of the United States, Barack Obama. A strong campaign that brought an awful lot of positive attention to the rental platform.
In history, there have been remarkable women, far from all of whom have received the attention they deserve. Stabilo, the brand known for its markers, started a campaign to put these women and their achievements in the spotlight.
Stabilo famously took black and white photos of historic moments and drew a yellow marking line to “highlight” the woman who made everything possible. This campaign was well received by the public and even won several prizes to the creators of the campaign.
Elon Musk has made no secret of his desire to send people to Mars. So when SpaceX launched their latest rocket, the Falcon Heavy, into space, it received a lot of media attention. But when the Falcon Heavy suddenly launched a bright red Tesla Roadster, from which David Bowie's hit “Life on Mars?” sounded in 1971, it was considered the biggest PR stunt in the history of the car 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's realistic to say it can launch heavy satellites and future space stations into orbit, carry cargo to Mars, and even take humans to the moon. And that is exactly the public image that Elon Musk wanted to achieve.
