Publicity stunts can be bold – just don’t let them backfire
For years, PR and marketing stunts have been doing what they are designed to do – make media headlines and generate attention with the public. One of the earliest publicity stunts was in 1896 when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad organized a staged crash between two full-size trains in Crush, Texas. Attendance was free with 40,000 people viewing the crash, but unfortunately the stunt backfired – some of the attendees lost their lives when the train boilers exploded blasting bolts, iron scraps and debris into the crowd.
Since then stunts have come in many forms, and some have even gone from stunt to time-honored tradition such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. As the world has gone digital, so have stunts with some receiving the most attention via social media and some beginning on social platforms.
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As inbound marketing gains in popularity, some companies are playing catch up, while others are reaping the rewards of their efforts and refining their strategies. The cardinal rule in content marketing hasn’t changed along with the calendar year: it will forever be to focus on helpful, useful content that is well written and produced. As more and more companies see the ROI of inbound and shift more marketing dollars to content marketing, it’s important to know where to focus your attention:
