The document discusses the relevance of PR stunts in 2021, highlighting their evolution and how the pandemic has affected marketing and budget strategies. It argues that while creative PR remains vital, the approach to stunts needs to adapt, emphasizing quality and integration rather than just flashy tactics. The author concludes that PR stunts can still be impactful and should be strategically employed to meet client needs.

1. Are PR stunts still
relevant in 2021?
Rich Leigh
Radioactive PR founder
@RichLeighPR

2. My love for
stunts began
with this - a
treasure hunt to
win a trip to
Africa
I thought - hang
on, you can get
PAID for this!?

4. It inspired me, in my own work, what I shared and created

5. PRe sold in 2018
to stuntmasters
Taylor Herring,
after 6.5 years,
thousands of
posts, monthly
and annual
roundups and
with the support
of 100s of
contributors

6. PR stunts can be: EXCITING

7. PR stunts can be: CAUSE DRIVEN

8. PR stunts can be: INEXPENSIVE
Full case study

9. PR stunts can be: EDUCATIONAL

10. PR stunts can be: SOPHISTICATED
Full case study

11. PR stunts can be: IMPACTFUL

12. PR stunts can be: EMOTIONAL
(The video is playable,
but it’s 5 mins long!)

13. PR stunts can be: MEASURABLE
Full case study

14. PR stunts can be: OUTRAGEOUS

15. PR stunts can be: REACTIVE

16. And more.
Most good stunts
have traditionally
had a mix of the
above

17. Early stunts
were very
literal. Jim
Moran famously
led a bull
through an NYC
china shop (the
bull did no
damage, but the
nervous
shopkeeper is
said to have!

18. But, the
world looks
very
different in
2021
Marketing,
and PR,
have had to
adapt

19. How brand
budgets for
agency work
changed
after the first
lockdown
*Radioactive survey, Nov 20. 115 in-house respondents. Full results.

20. What
brands
increased
spend on
*Radioactive survey

21. What
brands
decreased
spend on
*Radioactive survey

22. There have still been fantastic examples of
creativity in and around PR/marketing

23. That said,
things have
definitely
changed

24. What has the pandemic meant for PR stunts?
- Reduced and shifted budgets
- Client uncertainty
- Furloughing and redundancies -
clients, agencies, media and
suppliers
- Out of home less of an option
- Creative meetings over Zoom

26. Industry response - expensive?

27. Industry response -
need to be integrated,
NOT just for coverage

28. Industry response - (re)definition?

29. Industry response - the BLOODY Thames

30. On which note - stunts aren’t always well
perceived
● ‘Just for B2C’
● Many rushed to use for the sake of ‘looking’ creative and doing a stunt
● Agencies and brands rush to use shiny tech just because
● Sometimes idea-first, brand fit and strategy an afterthought
● Negative political and celebrity news connotations

31. Making a
product of
creativity. This
2009 campaign
has a lot to
answer for -
good and bad!

32. A brief history

33. The intersection of creative PR and SEO

34. ‘Digital PR’ then
Earning (follow) links through PR
has always been encouraged by
search engines vs ‘black hat’
SEO practises - link farms,
keyword stuffing, buying links.
My first agency, 10 Yetis, led in
this in 2008 when I joined. It
ranked #1 for the term ‘PR
agency’ and we mostly kept link
earning tactics to ourselves. It
was the secret sauce to tip a
potential client over the edge.
For ecomms, being page 1 no 1
on search vs page 1 no 3 could
mean millions of pounds of
revenue.
Digital PR now
In a pandemic where the majority
of shopping goes online, it’s a
race to the client to help them
rank better.
The seeming explosion of digital
PR agencies is a reaction to
market demand: reduced
budgets, increased insistence on
measurement and a tighter
alliance with onsite SEO = what
we’ve seen. Noisier agencies
using tried and tested tactics.
Creativity has had to change.

35. I think we need
to redefine what
a PR stunt IS

36. Real World PR stunts
Outdoor activation - what
most people think of when
they think of stunts
Budgets skew higher
Can get enormous
awareness
Generally very visual -
which is great for social
Often done by bigger,
better known brands
Rarely a call-to-action
(hashtags don’t count!)
Extends to billboard stunts

37. Digital PR stunt
Tends to focus on a product or service
(often new products, weird collaborations &
odd services/requests)
Often data-backed
Usually has a created visual element
Typically lower budget
Easy to be more reactive
All about getting links back to the brand’s
site (typically some onsite content)
Brands big and small can do them
Tend to share well - traffic can be low
converting, but can be remarketed to
Can be used as a tactic to grab visitor data

38. Digital x Real World
Usually begins online first, then
either moves to real world or has
real world impact
Low-mid budget
Partnerships work well and add
weight
Still predominantly comes from a
place of earning links
Brands big and small can do
them
Digital-first approach means you
can test public interest
Great for relevant traffic and
opted-in visitors

39. Great list
of digital
campaign
tactics

40. So, to address
the original
question:
Are PR stunts relevant in 2021?

41. In opposal to Betteridge’s Law - YES.
It’s for us to assess the needs of clients,
advise and execute accordingly. Let’s not
just answer a marketing problem with a PR
stunt, or digital PR solution.
I think we’ll see fewer taking a punt on
stunts - and what real life stunts do get
through will be much higher quality

42. PR stunts should be
part of your thinking
BECAUSE they can
and should be:
Measurable
High impact
Shareable
Memorable
FUN

43. Read more case studies on our blog at RadioactivePR.com
Tweet us @Radioactive_PR
Tweet me @RichLeighPR