If you still doubt the power of social media, it’s time to think twice. Recent campaigns show the extent to which social media allows PR campaigns to garner serious awareness, reach, and results. One of our examples below includes a viral social campaign that’s helped raise millions for cancer research in just a few days! Still not convinced? Check out the other 6 PR campaigns below that have taken over social media and the world, and see if you think the jury is still out!
- #NoMakeupSelfie
The age of the selfie is upon us! #NoMakeupSelfie shook up social media raising millions of dollars for UK Cancer
Research Foundation overnight. Sure, there were a few grunts around the campaign’s relevance to cancer. However, coverage spanned across traditional and digital platforms in the UK and globally.
As well as celebrity participation, this little initiative sparked exponential increases in donations, and Facebook & Twitter followers for the Foundation. Is the selfie the future of fundraising? It is definitely a successful tactic to engage a younger audience and produce rapid results.
- #RAKnomination Domination
What’s more wonderful than a social media campaign promoting random acts of kindness? #RAKnomination encouraged people to perform a good deed, record, share, and motivate. This viral initiative inspired far and wide – from an autistic 12-year-old playing for his favourite hockey team, to a generous lottery-winner handing his ticket to a homeless man. The #RAKnomination community even sparked the ‘give a pint’ trend encouraging people to donate blood. The campaign began in Australia and spread internationally, connecting people throughout the world with kindness.
- I AM Porter app
Luxury fashion site, Net-a-Porter, launched the I AM Porter app in a campaign to promote Porter Magazine. The app allowed fashionistas to snap a selfie, add the mag’s masthead and create a clever tagline to become an instant Porter cover star. 4,000 entries were submitted through Facebook and Instagram, resulting in over 75,000 followers, taking full advantage of the rising trend of user generated content.
- Pedigree’s Life-O-Graph
Traditional brands are exploring the digital space in order to become more agile. Iconic old-fashioned beer brewer Marston’s Pedigree probably doesn’t have a particularly broad appeal amongst younger consumers. However, the brand was inspired by two brothers who gained 2013 social media fame by recreating their baby photos. Marston’s produced an app that tapped into nostalgia, and allowed users to recreate old images to compare how they had changed over the years. These branded Life-O-Graphs were shared on Facebook in a successful example of how companies are harnessing the power of memes for social marketing.
5. #FindMike
#FindMike was a truly inspirational and emotive campaign that showcased the true power of digital media. Jonny Benjamin attempted to jump off a bridge in London, but was saved by a stranger who encouraged him not to end his life. Fast forward six years, #FindMike was born, a global manhunt executed on Twitter, started by Mr. Benjamin in attempt to find the man who saved his life. The campaign gained coverage on UK morning TV shows, as well as massive print and online publications. Not only was this great publicity for Twitter, Mr. Benjamin had suffered gravely from schizophrenia, thus awareness for his disorder soared twofold.
- Nike made it count
Nike is all about using PR and advertising tactics to promote social change. #MakeItCount used this credible brand name to motivate the world to exercise. The campaign cleverly struck alongside New Year’s resolutions and recruited top athletes to push the message through their social channels. Viral videos were created by New York sporting communities getting together and posting their achievements. Nike absolutely did make it count with this campaign, increasing Facebook followers, Twitter mentions and interactions, and producing an overwhelming amount of consumer generated content.
7. Eurostar Kissing Statues
A stunt by Eurostar used the infamous ‘The Meeting Place’ sculpture at St Pancras station, as a bid to launch the brand’s first major facelift in nearly a decade. The train operator dressed the beautiful nine metre kissing statues in their new uniform to capture the attention of thousands of visitors passing by. The stunt generated a buzz of images shared on social channels, as well as positive brand awareness for London tourism.
Agents Leila and Lauren
