It is easy to say that most people are ready to see 2016 go. It was filled of many ups and downs, and just bizarre moments. Here are some of the top PR campaigns of this past year:
1. Finger Licking Good! Literally.
In early May, KFC launched their exclusive line of edible nail polish. Yes, nail polish. Not chicken! The chicken flavored nail polish launched in Hong Kong in order to increase excitement about the brand. The stunt gained worldwide attention, and definitely the attention of its customer base.
2. Rich, in Sugar!
In early 2016, Skittles launched a PR campaign that created a “Skittles Holiday Pawn Shop”. People in Toronto, CA were encouraged to come into the shop and bargain their unwanted holiday gifts in exchange for skittles. They walked away with sweet currency, and all the items were donated to charity. A win win!
3. “Like my Addiction”
It is safe to say that social media is a great way to target a younger audience. That is exactly what the French ad company BETC to help Addict Aide. “Louise.delage” was an Instagram account created, that gained over 50,000 likes on her photos and videos within two months. It was later revealed that upon closer inspection, each photo had this girl drinking alcohol. A creative and impactful way to raise the awareness of addiction.
4.Simple Selfie
Paramount launched this simple yet effective campaign to increase the publicity of the release of Zoolander 2. The public was encouraged to share post their own version of the famous “Blue Steel Pose”. The #BlueSteelSelfie was a great way to create buzz.
5. Touchable Ink
In an extremely innovative step, Samsung partnered with the Thailand Association of the Blind and a chemistry professor to create one of the first accessible and cheap braille ink. This “Touchable Ink” could be placed into any printer cartridge, heated up with any household device, and the braille would appear! It was a huge step, because braille printers cost thousands of dollars which make it inaccessible to a wide population. While not promoting their products, this campaign helped Samsung gain worldwide support and attention.
