5 Most Effective PR Campaigns

Effective PR is more than just writing a press release. It is about building positive relationships, engaging with a target audience and gaining momentum for your brand. To ensure all of this is achieved, PR professionals sometimes have to think outside the box to create the most significant impact.

There have been hundreds of thousands of campaigns that have been successful in making a splash. So, if you’re in need of some inspiration, here’s a run-down of some of our favourites.

Now TV’s giant statue of Jeff Goldblum

In a bold move to capitalise on the excitement of the upcoming Jurassic World 2 movie and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Jurassic Park, Now TV erected a giant statue of actor Jeff Goldblum in front of Tower Bridge in London.

According to reports, the statue reached over 9.8 feet high, weighing in at 331 pounds, and stretching for 23 feet. The stunt was a huge success with tons of fans flocking from across the country to take photos in front of the re-imagination of the lovable movie star.

On a PR front, it resulted in great coverage for Now TV with the stunt securing hundreds of media hits worldwide as well as generating a huge buzz across social media.

Rainbow Laces for LGBT

This simple but effective campaign from Stonewall united sports stars and fans across the world as they rallied behind an important anti-homophobia message.

The campaign slogan is ‘make sport everyone’s game’, with the focus on creating LGBT+ inclusive sports environments in which each individual truly feels part of the team.

Stonewall said their 2017 iteration was seen by 12 million people and reported an eight per cent fall in fans who think homophobic language is acceptable. Companies such as Paddy Power and Premier Inn also helped spread the message, and the campaign still runs strongly today.

Cadbury’s Crème Egg café

Pop-up stores and restaurants have become a popular method of creating an immediate buzz for a product or service. Many PR pros have been able to turn an empty space into an innovative realisation of a brand, creating an immersive space where fans can flock to be part of a unique experience and share the moment on social media.

One fantastic example was Cadbury’s Crème Egg café which created a huge media splash and queues around the block when it was first launched in 2016.

The London based café has returned for short spells in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and spans three floors, including a ball pit and a menu comprising creme egg twists.

Gregg’s Valentine’s Day Meal

Gregg’s flawlessly gained masses of national coverage and social media engagement by having fun with their brand image and hosting candlelit “valentine’s meals with a twist” in select stores across the UK.

Diners booked in to order a selection of Greggs favourites with a Valentine’s Day twist, including brochettes of doughnuts, sweet bakes garnished with love hearts and seasoned pork puff pastry sliders.

A clever piece of inverse marketing, the campaign showcased the bakery chain’s ability to be creative with their PR and gain media traction during one of the busiest times of the year for eateries.

KFC’s apology

In what was an incredibly odd news story looking back, popular fast-food chain KFC shocked the nation when they had to shut down most of their outlets following a shortage in chicken after changing delivery suppliers.

To thank customers for bearing with them and poke a little light-hearted fun of themselves, KFC took out a full-page ad in the Metro newspaper which saw their KFC letters rearranged into something a little fouler mouthed.

This was a perfectly pitched response to the unwarranted publicity and was a masterstroke in PR crisis management.

If you want to see how PR could work for you, contact the You Do Better team today. We know exactly how to create that innovative impact that will lead to nationwide tongue wagging and brand awareness.