There’s an old saying that goes, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” While this might be true in terms of Hollywood, the reality for a business is quite different. Publicity stunts have a chance of going viral if they’re executed well or damaging the company’s reputation immensely if done poorly.
Since it’s challenging for a business to determine what is viral and what isn’t, it can be a dice roll as to whether the audience will think the publicity stunt brilliant or tasteless. To help, nine contributors to Forbes Agency Council discuss some of the critical things a business needs to consider before it plans and executes a publicity stunt.
1. Be Ready For Multiple Outcomes
Don’t assume your stunt will receive a positive response, and don’t declare failure when the first unhappy comment is posted. A stunt that attracts negative attention may still be successful if it sufficiently increases awareness of your brand or prompts dialogue that appeals to your audience. Plan for next steps if your message is well-received and if it’s not. – Hannah Trivette, NUVEW Web Solutions
2. Look At Every Angle
Before you hit “send” with that new publicity stunt idea, look at it from every angle. Ask others for insight and keep an open mind to criticism. Sometimes we overlook small details that can blow up in a negative way. Not all negative criticism is bad, but it’s a good idea to check and make sure you haven’t overlooked anything vital. – Darian Kovacs, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR
3. Be A Riot, Don’t Cause One
Are you crossing a line when it comes to taste, safety or common sense? Hiding a bunch of black briefcases around a city to promote a stealth video game release might sound cool on paper. But can you imagine the reality of people running through the streets or people reporting suspicious briefcases? Not a winning formula. (Remember that one?) You want to go viral for the right reasons. – Bernard May, National Positions
4. Check Your Branding
Successful branded viral videos or campaigns are those that creatively speak to your target consumer using language that resonates, while communicating your brand values and story positively. Make sure your campaigns ooze with your company ethos. Produce a SWOT analysis to identify potential threats and to ensure you have crisis management solutions on standby. – Sophie Bowman, Brand Branding PR
5. Make Sure This Is What The Client Wants
We can all be creative. We can come up with a hundred ideas that people will pay attention to and might garner press. But is it in the best interest of the client? Does it outweigh not doing a stunt and conversely staying quiet or just staying the course? It’s always a challenge to consider whether the fun, creative and exciting option is actually the one that best fits the brand. – Jared Shapiro, The Tag Experience
6. Be Original, Design With Values In Mind
Publicity stunts are designed to have a certain element of shock value. For that to work, a stunt must be original and fill white space in the public’s minds. This is why a stunt that went viral for a certain company is not likely to work again. Shock alone isn’t enough. To be sticky and contribute to a brand’s image, stunts must be crafted to be consistent with its messaging and values. – Ahmad Kareh, Twistlab Marketing
7. Remember That Authenticity Is Key
PR stunts can be effective, yet they often trade off easy tactics to garner views in lieu of authenticity — and consumers see right through this. Businesses must learn to trust that our modern consumers are always on a quest for truth. In order to truly engage with an audience, you need to put your real self out there and hope the world grabs on. It’s a risk, but it almost always pays off. – Jessica Reznick, We’re Magnetic
8. Build On The Established Brand
Too often, it is that potentially viral aspect of a publicity stunt that we get attached to. However, it doesn’t matter how newsworthy or shocking it is if it doesn’t build on the established brand and allow people to connect the stunt with the brand’s identity. A good publicity stunt will not only garner a lot of public attention, but will bring attention to everything else the company does. – Dmitrii Kustov, Regex SEO
9. Don’t Challenge People To Hurt Themselves
A lot of publicity stunts involve putting people in difficult situations and awarding a prize to the one who can stand it the longest. Think of the dance marathons of old or the eating contests of today. But make sure your stunt isn’t toxic, like the “hold your wee for a Wii” contest, in which the challenge was to drink a lot of water and not use the bathroom — and someone died of water intoxication. – Jeff Bradford, the Bradford Group