The Hunt for the Perfect PR Stunt: Four Fast Tips for a Wow-Worthy Moment

April 27, 2022

Some of the most well-known people in their respective industries – think magician David Blaine, Barbara Corcoran in real estate and daredevil Evel Knievel – have one distinct thing in common: they each understand the power of the PR stunt. While each of the industries mentioned boast a deep pool of talent, sometimes what helps someone (or something) rise to the top is a risk-taking move that gets attention.

But how do you know if a PR stunt is right for you and your brand? Here are four fast tips for a PR stunt that breaks through the static and helps put you on the map.

#1. News Jack

Newsjacking is one of the oldest – and most effective – tricks of the PR trade. To effectively news jack, one needs to plan a stunt around the timely. That could be current events or news headlines, the next holiday coming down the pike or pop culture events that can be piggybacked on. The “trick” is that these events and headlines are already getting attention, making your stunt all the more likely to be noticed through the fray.

#2. Take a Number

You can’t always simply take the news: sometimes to you have to make the news, and an effective way to do this is by digging up data, trends and statistics. Media love numbers and firm figures have a way of adding credibility to whatever it is you’re planning – even if it’s the most outlandish of stunts.

#3. Go Big or Go Home

A stunt is the tactic to use when you really want to cut through the media clutter. The bigger, the zanier and the more dramatic, the better. Not only will people want to tune in, but the larger the stunt, the easier it will be to convince camera crews to attend and film it – and that footage even more likely to make its way on TV, the Internet and social media channels, where it will travel fast and live forever.

#4. Keep Your Brand in Mind

Though stunts, by the very definition of them, are over-the-top, you do want to keep your brand in mind. Ensure that the plan won’t put you and your brand in crisis mode or cheapen your offering. And make sure it ties back to what you want to be known for. In other words, try to avoid being outlandish for the sake of it – but instead to harness that zaniness in a way that demonstrates your core offerings.