Blink and you’ll miss it: 2018 has sped by, and we’re only just catching up. Incredibly, it was nine months ago that the world waited with baited breath to find out if Kylie Jenner was indeed pregnant (spoiler: she was), and six months since an avocado could get you a discount on Virgin train tickets (keep eating your toast, that time has long past).
In the age of the internet, PR is now the new entertainment for the masses. Here’s five stories that caught our eye this year.
Greggs Goes Gourmet For Valentine’s Day
The UK’s Gregg’s Valentine’s Day PR stunt set hearts a flutter early out the gate this year, announcing at the end of January that the bakery chain would be hosting candlelit dinners on February 14th. Gregg’s campaign earned national coverage, with people more than amused by the cheaper option trying its hand in the fine dining scene.
Smith & Whistle and Man’s Best Friend
A dog friendly cocktail menu created by London bar Smith & Whistle had people positively tickled this spring. Drawn from dog friendly alcohol and nutritional ingredients, the cocktails allowed dogs to relax with their owners by lapping up specialties such as ‘Poochie Colado’, ‘Bubbly Bow Wow’ and even ‘G & T: Ginger Tails’. Nothing beats a cute stunt with everyone’s furry friends.
The One with The Deliveroo Meat Trifle
Few shows have had the cultural staying power as American cult classic “Friends”, and who could forget Rachel’s iconic meat trifle? Birthed from two recipe pages stuck together, Rachel had a special twist on Thanksgiving one year with a trifle mixed with jam, custard and lady fingers, along with potato, peas and beef. This year, Deliveroo had a stroke of genius when it recreated Rachel’s infamous trifle, on sale for a limited period in May. Popular culture references never fail to disappoint, and Deliveroo’s stunt was layered with nostalgia.
The Royal Wedding: Harry and Meghan Do Things Differently
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding almost never left the headlines since their engagement was announced in November last year. In keeping with Harry’s larrikin nature, and Megan’s innate unconventional branding, the lovers’ wedding was first to do away with some long-standing royal traditions. With a guest list replete with 1,200 members of the public known for their positive contributions to their communities- instead of the usual diplomats and politicians- the pair also selected bee-friendly and ecologically-produced flowers for their big day. With no shortage of anecdotes about the couple’s choices, this is a wedding that broke the mould- and the news cycle.
The World Cup Kicks a Goal for PR
Whether you’re a football fan or not, there was no avoiding news of the World Cup this summer. Whatever the outlet- social media, newspaper, television, billboards, magazines- football fever took the world by storm. From grocery store football food displays, energy drink Carabao’s inclusive #WeAreFemaleFans’ campaign, to Carlsberg’s ‘taste of Russia’ beer caviar, the summer was a time of innovative PR stunts that kept everyone talking- and not just about the football.
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