Publicity, if done right, can turn your brand into an instant star. Publicity is a way to spread the word about your business. And if you want your brand to get noticed in a big way, publicity stunts are a great way to get your brand in the spotlight. Here are creative ways on how your small business can turn heads:
Do the Unexpected
While following trends is great, going the opposite direction can also do wonders for your brand. Doing something unexpected grabs people’s attention and makes your brand instantly memorable. Some of the most unforgettable publicity stunts recently have stopped people in their tracks and created ripples of delight in traditional and social media. You might get some ideas from these campaigns for small business:
- No Pants Subway Ride for Shobha
Every January, brave New Yorkers face the challenge of walking around the city without their pants. Hair removal salon Shobha saw a unique opportunity to publicize their service during the event and sent out a team of pants-free individuals wearing underwear bearing the Shobha brand. The No Pants Subway Ride was organized by the Improv Everywhere prank collective and the stunt has succeeded in surprising and delighting the unsuspecting public.
- Ice Bucket Challenge
The Ice Bucket Challenge was a simple idea started by Chris Kennedy to raise funds for ALS. What started out as few videos showing people’s funny reactions became a viral phenomenon through social media. Soon, local and international media took notice and challenges were done on air by famous celebrities.
Go Guerilla
Guerilla Marketing is an advertising strategy that highlights creativity over budget. Ideas are often unique and yet easy to do on the local level. Concepts are often dynamic and imaginative and focus on grabbing the attention of the public. Here are some Guerilla Marketing tactics you can learn from:
- Stencil Graffiti
Stencil graffiti uses stencils to create memorable street art. The idea is to paint as many stencils as possible in a given area, in a short period of time. The objective is for the street art to get noticed and create a buzz in public.
- Treasure Hunts
Treasure hunts involve posting mysterious clues on social media about hidden treasures scattered across the city. The idea is to entice social media users to find the hidden treasures.
Attempt to Beat a Record
Beating someone’s record is a great publicity stunt because it’s fun and entertaining. There are also plenty of records to beat. When you decide to do this, make sure that the challenge is related to your line of business. For example:
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- If you have a pizza parlor, you can try to beat the 2017 record of Pizzaovens.com. Pizzaovens.com created the longest pizza that measures 6,333 ft 3.60 in.
- If you’re the owner of a barbershop, you can attempt to break the world record for the number of haircuts done in 24 hours. Proceeds from the event can be given to charity.
Let us know if you’ve tried any of these!
