Successful public relations campaigns

Successful public relations campaigns no longer have to stop at billboards, store greeters and newspapers. In this age ofsocial networking, media andtechnology, there are numerous opportunities to explore various methods of implementing effective public relations campaigns and a variety of companies have been capitalizing on these different methods. Following, you will see examples of employing the Internet, nature and a host of other methods in order to catch the eye and attention of consumers.

In this day, the options are so vast that marketing, advertising and PR professionals have their work cut out for them. In February 2011, Rayovac initiated a Rapid-Response Twitter campaign to engage consumers who likely had spare time on their hands due to the snowstorm that a big part of the country was experiencing. The campaign was essentially a virtual snowball fight that included consumer changing their profile picture to a Rayovac-branded avatar and each related tweet utilized the hashtag #snowball.

The virtual snowball fight lasted for roughly 48 hours and thereafter Rayovac hosted a two hoursnowday tweet-up where Rayovac followers could tweet about the weather in their area, activities they partook in and weather related trivia complete with prizes. This particular campaign was seemingly successful, generating 1188 click-throughs to retrieve the branded avatar, becoming a worldwide trending topic (#TT) and a 30% increase in Twitter followers. With the popularity of Twitter, this was a genius marketing/public relations plan.

It gave consumers something to do while home on their snow days and one could assume that some participants were introduced and others may have become more familiar with the brand Rayovac. There’s not much that I would have done differently. I think that the only component that was missing was something to target the non-Twitter users. Since this was solely an online public relations effort, this same campaign could have been tweaked a bit to have also been done on Facebook, GooglePlus or another site for those who do not use Twitter. Converse has taken one of their current PR stunts to the streets of Australia.

Strategically placed in all of Australia’s major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are fire emergency type boxes that contain a pair of sneakers behind a glass window. The slogan of the campaign is, “ Let’s Take This Outside” and written across the top of each fire box is, “ IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS. ” Upon breaking the glass, one can actually retrieve a pair of free, brand new, Converse tennis shoes. The sneakers being spotlighted are from the 2012 Chuck Taylor All Star collection. This feat has been constructed to bring awareness to the brand as well as fully engage the citizens of Australia via a few different means.

There are clues on the company’s website as well as their Facebook page in a picture album leading consumers to the locations of these fire boxes. Converse has similar PR stunts going on in other countries as well. This campaign fully encompasses every facet of consumerism. From the scavenger hunt-type clues to encouraging giving to one another if they find shoes that are the wrong size to capitalizing on the public’s love of free goods, this is a fun, genius public relations task that will run through June 10, 2012.

I can’t think of a single thing that could be done differently. Converse utilized every form of media. No stone was left unturned. Print media, online social networks, in-store advertisements and television commercials were all incorporated. Even the “ prizes” themselves are outside and available to those who are off the grid. There is no discriminating demographic either, because the target audience is anyone who wears sneakers. This was well planned, very well executed and done in such a way that is preventing mass hysteria.

I think that would be the only apprehension that I would have as a company is public reaction since everyone would be interested in a free pair of sneakers. I’m certain there were many precautions that had to be taken in order for this to come to fruition. Zoning, permits, and backing from law enforcement departments had to be among the kinks that needed to be worked out, but they dealt with them in a way that is seemingly flawless. Converse has managed to concoct the perfect formula to keep the campaign enjoyable and safe.