Kaplan: The PR stunt is dead. Long live the PR stunt

Like many, I enjoy a good public-relations stunt as much as the next person. But with the diminishing newsroom media and tight budgets, there are more cost-effective ways to get news coverage without dropping an oversized Hershey’s Kiss off the top of the Hancock Building or placing a large macaroni noodle outside of Wrigley Field to promote Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. We live in an age where everything is exciting and a stunt. Social media and reality television have changed the way consumers engage and how media responds. Because of this, clients are no longer set on producing branding campaigns that incorporate large-scale PR stunts. They are looking for that social-media boost that will help them go viral and not spend several hundreds of thousands of dollars to launch a product. Companies are now putting their efforts toward video campaigns, online contests, corporate social responsibility and other means of reaching their target audiences.  They are more strategic than ever and making informed decisions to create a more targeted media campaign. Large corporations are now opting for live panel discussions, inviting media to join via the Internet for a live Q&A. Branding campaigns look to social-media staples like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to get their new product out there. Companies reach the masses via feel-good stories and get involved in their communities. The only PR stunt that does still work time and time again is free stuff. People love free food, free items, services and such.  It’s a great way to get people to try your product and create buzz. However, this typically comes at a high cost with no guaranteed return on investment. A recent story written by Bite Size PR noted the 100 best PR stunts.  This blog takes a look at successful stunts, as well as ones that flopped but still wound up making a big splash. The list dates all the way back to 1896, when William Crush of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad staged a crash between two full-size trains in the city of Crush, Texas, to publicize the railroad. On the one hand, it was pretty successful, as 40,000 people attended the event. Then again, the trains’ boilers exploded and killed several people. Perhaps this will provide a little perspective as you work to create your next big media campaign. I’m not trying to claim the PR stunt is completely dead, I’m merely stating there are more efficient and cost-effective ways to create news and noise for your brand.  Because quite honestly, when it is warranted, there will always be a place in my heart for a large macaroni noodle.