Producing a successful PR campaign can be incredibly difficult. PR is an unforgiving battlefield, where creative edge and reckless flair are fundamental to campaign success.

To explore what the leading brands are doing right, we looked into the best PR campaigns over 2018. These are imperative to learn what they did well and what we can learn from them.

Greggs

Strategy: Greggs tested their new summer menu by serving up lunch under the guise of an artisan delicatessen at a top London food festival.

Objective: The aim was to change the perception of Greggs’ food and show that it is very high quality by surprising unsuspecting foodies.

Tactic: Their primary tactics were to get involved in the ‘Foodies Festival’ and go ‘undercover’. This is a three-day event with some of the biggest food names in the business, including Michelin-starred chefs.

What you can learn: This is a fun and creative way to get the general public involved in a campaign and expand their audience. It also makes for a great video. The lesson? Get involved in events with real people, don’t be afraid to put yourself up against bigger companies and make sure to record it all on camera.

Apple

Strategy: Apple recently launched Today at Apple, a series of workshops at Apple stores around the world, teaching consumers how to use Apple products creatively. The events included photo walks, kids’ hours, music production and coding lessons.

Objective: To promote Apple stores and drive consumers into stores.

Tactic: The workshops are designed to create a community feel in the Apple stores. The workshops mean the stores double up as educational centres with ‘creative pros’ who were able to offer advice on music production and photography.

What you can learn: Similar to Greggs, this was another event-focused campaign with real people. By provide workshops that teach skills and fill a gap in knowledge, you can promote a product at the same time. There is also something to be said for creating a community hub around a business that offers something for theaudience. Shops need to offer more to a shopper than they used to, and these kinds of events can help you elevate your in-store offering. it’s also worth using brand ambassadors and/or knowledgeable employees as a voice of expertise and support for consumers. Inclusivity – with events/workshops, don’t just target key audience, target all demographics to raise brand visibility.

Ikea

Strategy: Ikea partnered with Yanjaa, the world-record-holding memory athlete, and challenged her to memorise the 2018 edition in its entirety. It allows Yanjaa to talk about the images rather than products.

Objective: To create buzz around the launch of a new catalogue and new products.

Tactic: Ikea’s tactic was to find some with an interesting skill, rather than a celebrity or an influencer. They then used her in their print, film and social campaign elements.

What you can learn: If you’re going to look for a third-party endorsement, try thinking outside the box. Yes, celebrities and influencers might have the audience, but can they convey the message in a genuinely interesting way? A great PR campaign does more than just reach X amount of people – it creates a conversation and is shared out of curiosity and enjoyment.

If you’re looking for a B2B PR agency to help you come up with a great PR campaign, then please get in touch! 

Wix.com

Strategy: Wix ppartneredwith YouTube comedy duo Rhett and Link to showcase their website building product in a video that was aired during the Superbowl.

Objective: To notify companies around the world of how there is a new and easy way to create stylish websites for their business.

Tactic: Wix wanted to offer a simple demonstration of their product during an airing time where other big companies (predominantly B2C) would be creating action-packed ads to stand out. However, this campaign certainly does what it says on the tin and allows viewers to engage with it due to its simplicity.

What you can learn: If you’re a B2B company, it’s sometimes better to go for a more simplistic angle, business want to know what the product offers in a quick and effective way and this ad certainly highlights this.