The Power Of Creative Stunts & Shareable Stories
In this guest post, Men at Work Communications’ Adam Mumford (pictured below) takes a closer look at some of his favourite creative stunts, with one dating back all the way to the 1920s.
Is there anything more thrilling than a big, bold stunt? The best leave a lasting impression that’s equal parts exhilaration and relief, which captures the imagination of the public and gains serious media attention.
Of course, in today’s world of digital targeting and optimisation, are they still relevant? They obviously need to be on-brand, but the right idea can garner serious reach and engagement. And a good idea creates talkability, virality and positive association with the brand.
You need only watch some YouTube footage of The General to realise the staying power of a fantastic stunt. Shot in the 1920s, Buster Keaton’s breathtaking work on a moving train – the cameraman having been told to “keep shooting until Buster yelled ‘cut’, or was killed” – is still regarded as one of the finest performances of all time, and helped get the film selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Basically, with the right idea, you can get an insane amount of reach for a relatively low cost. Sure, The General was regarded as an expensive film in its day, but almost a century later, the $750,000 or so it cost to make an undisputed masterpiece would be regarded as an absolute bargain – even after inflation was applied.
What’s more, you don’t need to put anyone’s life at risk to create a great creative activation that generates cut-through (although the threat of death certainly does aid in reach – but we’ll come to that).
Below, I’ve outlined a few of my favourite creative stunts that show just how big an audience you can get for relatively little spend, when you have the right idea and a team just nuts enough to pull it off.
Message in a bottle (1959)
In May this year, Nova Scotia resident Sarah Naugle and her two children found a message in a bottle washed up on their local beach.
“I noticed the top of a bottle sticking out of the seaweed, so I picked it up,” Naugle told CTV Atlantic.
“I noticed it was a full bottle, and there was a message inside. I couldn’t believe it!”
She was in for a much bigger shock: that message had been written almost 60 years earlier, having been lodged in the ocean by Guinness – yeah, the beer company.
In 1959, Guinness decided to try out a novel way to build awareness of their product by dropping 150,000 bottles in the ocean, with a message in each bottle – some reporting to be from King Neptune! The hope was that people combing the beaches would find the bottles and spread the word.
The word-of-mouth advertising may have been effective in the ’50s, but with bottles still washing up and making the news 60 years later, the campaign is still paying dividends decades later.
You’re probably not going to get away with this stunt today, but a good idea is a good idea. Simple. Easy to describe in half a sentence. A good story in any language.
The Blair Witch Project pretends to be real (1999)
For anyone too young to have seen The Blair Witch Project in the cinemas, you might be a bit baffled about what the big deal was with this flick.
It’s a bit like the old story of the student who complains that Shakespeare’s work is full of cliches, unaware that “The Bard” actually created them.
Blair Witch helped popularise the ‘found footage’ horror film – did it on the smell of an oily rag with a case of nobodies, and perhaps most importantly, was also one of the first films to use the internet to do the majority of its marketing.
To create buzz, the filmmakers gave out tapes to college campuses and presented them as real video diary footage, the Independent Film Channel played clips that were labelled as documentary instead of fictional, and a website was set up that outlined the events surrounding the film as true.
This PR stunt created plenty of groundswell for the film, with USA Today writing in 2014: “Though it arrived five years before Facebook and seven before Twitter, Blair Witch became Hollywood’s first film with viral heat.”
As for the payoff? The movie was shot on a shoestring $60,000 budget and ended up grossing around a quarter of a billion, making it one of the most successful indie films of all time.
Red Bull Stratos (2012)
Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner showed just what is possible when someone is willing to go to the very limit – of our planet’s atmosphere, that is.
For those who were living under a rock, Red Bull Stratos saw professional skydiver Baumgartner ride a hot air balloon to an altitude of 39,045 metres, then jump out.
As he plummeted towards the Earth’s surface for almost four and a half minutes, the Austrian reached a maximum of speed of 1,357.6 km/h to break numerous records – including becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without any form of vehicle – before safely pulling his chute to ensure nothing else broke.
Alright, so that’s not exactly the kind of thing you’re going to be able to achieve with a budget of a few thousand bucks, but sponsors Red Bull got a huge return on investment, with research firm IRI reporting the energy drink company increased sales 7 per cent to $1.6 billion in the USA alone over the following six months.
Arguably more importantly is the attitude it set for the general public regarding the company.
As one Twitter user put it: “So, if I buy Coke, they spend my money advertising Coke. But if I buy Red Bull, they launch people to edge of space and let them jump? Sold.”
Lucy the Robot (2015)
It would be remiss of me not to mention an Aussie campaign in this piece, and has there been a better local stunt than Lucy the Robot in late 2015? Obviously, I’m biased – my agency Men At Work Communications developed this campaign with media agency Atomic 212°, but there is no better example of huge amounts of talkability being generated in a short amount of time.
Looking to get coverage for the Double Robotics telepresence robot, we sent the device to Sydney’s Apple Store for the launch of the iPhone 6s. This was an event that already had major buzz, and we created a story to push it a little further.
Piloted by the eponymous Lucy, the robot became the first robot to ever buy Apple’s latest flagship phone.
Perhaps more importantly than making robotic history, the stunt gained global attention, with the story being covered in literally thousands of stories around the world, translated into dozens of languages, and reaching tens of millions people in total.
And it’s staying power has been none too shabby either, with Warc naming the campaign as the third most effective for 2017 in April this year.
If you create the right story and have a compelling idea, a creative stunt can generate some awesome interest in your client’s brand. The problem is that you can’t fake a good story.
Of course, you need to combine such a stunt with a range of other strategies from a customer acquisition point-of-view, but purely in terms of reach, engagement and branding, there’s something very powerful about creating a shareable story.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Adam Mumford creative stunts Designworks Men at Work Communications shareable storiesLatest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.