Marketing stunts can be controversial—and not just for consumers who observe or experience them and may not totally understand or appreciate the point of them. Not all marketers consider engaging in “stunts” to be the optimal way to grab the attention of target audiences. Beyond the possibility of alienating or confusing prospective customers, a big reason why disagreement exists around whether stunts are worthwhile or not is the simple fact that they are difficult to pull off successfully. When stunts work, however, they can have a big impact.
Here, members of Forbes Agency Council explore the keys to pulling off a successful marketing stunt. Read on to learn more about what to do (and what not to do) when devising a strategy for a special campaign that will create a real buzz and generate immediate interest in whatever a marketing stunt is trying to highlight for consumers.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Make Sure Stunts Are Unexpected, Clever And Scalable
The best marketing stunts are the ones that are unexpected, clever and scalable. Stunts that are surprising coming from a certain brand will result in more word-of-mouth exposure. Ideas that are clever and make you think will stay with you and drive a lasting brand impression. Finally, ideas that are multifaceted—both online and offline—will give you greater exposure and impact. - Emily Porter, Havas Formula
2. Have A Trustworthy Team Pull Off An Incredible Feat Using Your Offering
The best stunts are surprises that grab the audience’s intellectual or creative interest. My favorite kinds of stunts are when brands attempt to pull off some incredible, never-been-done-before feat using their product or service, so this would require putting a lot of trust in the team to execute perfectly. - David Racine, Punch PR
3. Tie Literal Stunts Back To Your Product
If we’re talking stunts, there’s no brand better than Red Bull. It has people literally performing stunts—in planes, on snowboards and through every kind of extreme activity possible, while simultaneously providing events, entertainment and unprecedented experiences to consumers. It all ties back nicely to its product: a drink that gives you the energy to fly a plane upside-down through a ring of fire—well done! - Devin Schumacher, SERP
4. Create Virtual, Metaverse-Based Content And Experiences
During the pandemic, we created parallel fashion shows of physical items and apparel in the metaverse, paired with motion design. We had to dress up the influencers digitally, as we were all stuck at home in Shanghai. This actually led to an increase in organic reach of 40% compared to the average PR campaigns we do, as it was quite new at the time. - Yanie Durocher, POMPOM CREATIVE Co. Ltd.
5. Do Things That Are Out Of The Ordinary
Doing things out of the ordinary—that’s the type of marketing stunt that works for us. One thing we’ve done is film rap videos with our CEO as the star, featuring our “Lion” mascot. It’s pure entertainment, and the lyrics are the message. This alone has given our ads a pop in engagement and clicks, and we’ve seen a jump in sales. - Rudy Mawer, Mawer Capital LLC
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6. Create Community Impact To Leave A Lasting Impression
The best marketing stunts are creative, impact the community in a positive way and leave a lasting impression of the brand. For example, in 2022, Lego created toy MRI scanner sets and donated them to children in hospitals, with the goal of reducing their fear of getting a real MRI scan. This kind of promotion wouldn’t increase a brand’s bottom line, but it does reinforce a positive brand image. - Jenni Smith, EGR International
7. Create Intrigue And Keep People Guessing To Generate Buzz
Several companies have created lasting impressions with buzzworthy marketing stunts, but ultimately, couldn’t prevent their own demise (looking at you, Pontiac). A wild example of doing it well is The Blair Witch Project movie release. With fake documentaries and published obituaries surrounding it, no one was really sure of the truth, and it raked in $250 million. That’s what a truly great marketing stunt does. - Marc Hardgrove, The HOTH
8. Execute A (Potentially Viral) Creative Social Media Campaign
I enjoy creative social media campaigns over some other stunts because of their potential reach and the ability to see real-time engagement. When executed well, a creative campaign can become viral seemingly overnight, and you can get a strong pulse on customer sentiment and engagement. Plus, social campaigns are easy to share, save and amplify with additional dollars. - Anna Crowe, Crowe PR
9. Offer A Scholarship For Someone In Your Field
While the word “stunt” has a negative connotation, one guerilla marketing tactic that worked well for us was to offer a scholarship focused on our field of consulting: customer advisory boards. Our scholarship was posted on many school sites, leading to backlinks and SEO increases. We called attention to our burgeoning field and gave an award to a promising up-and-coming marketer—so it was a win-win for all! - Eyal Danon, Ignite Advisory Group
10. Try Clever Direct Mail Pieces That Grab Attention
My former agency pushed clever direct mail pieces that got a lot of attention. One was a reflective postcard that asked, “Who is responsible for your reputation?” Another was a fuzzy postcard that asked, “Are your creative projects getting a little hairy?” But my favorite stunts have come from mission-first brands, such as Ben & Jerry’s, Stonyfield Farm or TOMS Shoes, which are making commitments to communities and earning media. - Townsend Belisle, Haystack Needle LLC
11. Avoid The Temptation To Do A Stunt Out Of Vanity
Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to execute on various marketing and PR stunts. They are generally fun to do, and when well-thought-out, they leave a good impression with the target audience. What is critical though, is to avoid the temptation to do it out of vanity. You must ask, “Why?” And be able to answer, “Is this stunt giving the right message to the right audience at the right time?” - Arleigh Vasconcellos, The Agency
12. Connect Activations With The Digital World To Measure KPIs
The best stunts are those that not only leverage the brand’s storyline and a “shock” factor, but that also collect and measure data points around key performance indicators. In order to do this, agencies need to find creative ways to connect these activations with the digital world. - Paula Celestino, SPRK Media Group Inc.
13. Tempt Consumers To Learn More With A Shocking OOH Campaign
A shocking out-of-home campaign is my favorite tactic. Putting something on your billboards or signage that isn’t expected by consumers makes them think and encourages them to find out more. For example, the women’s jewelry brand Steven Singer Jewelers uses “I hate Steven Singer” advertisements to force you to look it up and see what it’s about. - Spencer Hadelman, Advantage Marketing
14. Leverage A Shock Factor To Affect Behavior
The best stunts leverage a shock factor to affect behavior. While traditional media is great for reaching people when they’re most open to considering a client’s offering, sometimes reaching people when they’re least likely to be open can be even more effective. We’ve sold empty soup cans in supermarkets to raise money for a food bank, for example—reaching people when they were thinking about food, not food insecurity. - Jeanette Palmer, NAIL Communications
15. Take Over A Space During A Public Gathering Or Event
During a large public gathering or sporting event, take over a space with creative installations and imagery that makes people literally ask each other what it is being advertised. Once it’s recognized, the uniqueness ingrains it in their mind, which helps with future brand building. - Jessica Hawthorne-Castro, Hawthorne LLC
16. Lead Up To The Stunt With Tease Campaigns
A marketing stunt is only as good as the lead-up to the stunt. If you are going to pull a marketing stunt off, make sure the teasers leading up to it are just as good as the stunt. The tease campaigns can be done through every marketing channel a company uses. Grow the hype, get your audience engaged and then shock them! - Marilyn Cowley, PREM - PR & Social
