Stunts can be a great way to generate lots of earned media, if you are looking for a high return on your investment (ROI), in advertising and marketing campaigns.   

Earned media, if you don’t know what it means, refers to exposure that your campaign, stunt or promotion has generated, but you didn’t pay for. This includes news reports on radio and television, articles in newspapers and magazines, mentions on social media, reposts by the general public, and articles in magazines and newspapers.

The Good Marketer will discuss the most outrageous marketing tactics that small businesses and agencies should know about in this article.

Here are the Most Expensive Stunts You Should Focus on

Be the first to do something

It is important to find something that is both entertaining and useful. It’s also important to think about the first attempt in the world and how it relates to your product. It doesn’t matter if you are the first to open a bookstore and consume 100 gallons in 48 hours. You must always ask yourself “Where is the relevance?”

Break a world record!

The Guinness Book of World Records, a popular publication worldwide, is well-known. There are thousands of records that have been preserved and new records are being set each day. Guinness’ website has sections dedicated to people participating in current or new records. This has been a great way to attract the public’s attention.

Do not stress if the record isn’t available; make one that compliments you brand, even though it may seem absurd. It will be taken up by someone.

Profit from a Big Event

At different times of year, big events are held all over the country. An event that has a lot of attendees or local news coverage is a great place to do a marketing stunt.

Your idea must relate to the event in some way. Otherwise, the publicity you generate could be seen as negative and may not be appreciated.

Tic When Other People Tac

The most challenging task for a marketing agency’s in Miami creative department is convincing a client to do something different than its competitors.

This is a technique that dates back to the 1950s, 1960s, when clients refused to take on work because it “didn’t look like an advertisement for our products.” However, it is still the best way to get people’s attention.

Go big when everyone else is doing it small. When they are making a fuss, be silent. You can use drama when they are using comedy.

Provoke a Competitor

This is a delicate area. Be respectful and not exaggerate your epicaricacy. Although this is business, mocking the demise of a competitor’s brand can generate lots of media attention. The battle of the billboards between BMW and Audi is one of the most famous examples.

Audi started it with “Your Move BMW”, but few people would have expected BMW to reply with a billboard saying “Checkmate” directly next to it.

Celebrity Influence Works

Another way to get the public’s attention is through simple techniques. However, it is not the most cost-effective. You can count on millions of people to watch anything you do if you work with a well-known person.

You will need to decide the best action, product or service to take and when to do it. Although you could get thousands to millions of views by linking your business to a well-known name, it is likely that you will spend a lot to do so.

Size is everything… go big!

You don’t want your work to go unnoticed. Create something impossible to overlook if you want to stand out. This does not refer to the sheer size of an event, but to the creation of something physical and spectacular. When Michael Jackson’s album and tour HIStory was released, huge statues of him were built in many cities around the globe, including London, Paris, Milan and Berlin.

Each of these statues made international headlines and earned millions in publicity. These initiatives are expensive and time-consuming, but they have a good chance of making the news.

Do something outrageous/out of the ordinary

Don’t let it go if you think your concept is going too far. You might find it to be the best way to increase awareness for your brand, product, or service.

These are great times to experiment with something new. All it takes to make something truly revolutionary and last a long time is one brave soul.

Are Extreme Marketing Strategies Worth it?

According to The Good Marketer, it should reflect your brand just as much as any other marketing. It should be used in addition to regular marketing efforts like SEO and social media marketing. Although they spoke briefly about the importance of extreme marketing tactics, they cannot stress enough how crucial this is.

It is certainly a risky thing to take a car on the most off-roading courses. However, it may be a lasting memory for some people. But, does it make sense if your energy drink is being promoted? It’s probably not.

Extreme marketing stunts can also pose risks. If you consider the fact that most of these stunts will be performed live (one-time and one-time only), audiences won’t forget what they saw.

If things go wrong, brands must be ready to handle the consequences – especially for small businesses trying to establish themselves.

Finally, cost.

Particularly for small businesses, time and money can be scarce resources. Extreme marketing can prove costly. You might consider how much money and time you are willing to spend and compare this with the possible results.