In a month filled with chocolate eggs, the Easter holidays, our first mini-heatwave, National Pet Month, St Georges Day, and plenty of jokes (hello April Fools), we also had plenty of fun and interesting digital PR campaigns. So, here are some of our favourites. As always, we’ll be exploring what these brands did, why their campaigns were a success, and looking at the coverage they gained as a result.
Starbucks and Peanuts™: Free Snoopy cup
Starbucks teamed up with Peanuts last month to launch some Snoopy merch and limited edition Snoopy drinks.
Following last year’s sell-out success, the popular promotion returned in April as the coffee giant gave away free reusable Snoopy cups to Starbucks Rewards members.
The limited edition reusable cup went live on Thursday April 17th and Friday April 18th, across most Starbucks stores around the country.
Updated earlier this year, the Starbucks Rewards programme allows customers to earn 10 stars for every £1 spent to make it easier for them to unlock rewards.
Unsurprisingly, the campaign secured plenty of links and thousands of mentions on social media as fans scrambled to grab a free cup.
Standout coverage
- Daily Mirror (DA 94): Starbucks giving away free reusable Snoopy cups this week – how to claim
- Retail Times (DA 56): Starbucks® Rewards Reusable Cup Giveaway is back with limited-edition Joe Kind Snoopy design – but customers will need to be quick!
- Country Living (DA 85): This New Starbucks Promotion Has Coffee Drinkers Confused
- Birmingham Live (DA 89): Starbucks urges customers to complete one action to secure FREE product
- The US Sun (DA 75): SNOOP YOU LOSE Starbucks fans ‘fuming’ over limited-time Snoopy cups as fans blast chain ‘why not in the US?’
- The Network Journal (DA 55): Starbucks Snoopy Cup Is Back – Get Yours Free in April!
Why it worked
Let’s face it; Starbucks doesn’t have to do much to create a buzz. This campaign was a success mainly because everyone loves a freebie. Not only did the campaign help increase sales as people had to buy a drink to get the cup, but it also increased awareness around the Rewards programme and most likely got the coffee giant a lot more sign ups as people rushed to get the limited edition cup.
The fact that the cup was both limited edition and free helped create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Forcing fans to rush down to Starbucks to ensure they managed to get their hands on one. This helped generate a buzz on social media, as well as drive engagement with not only the brand but other users. With those who managed to get a cup sharing pictures and videos on TikTok and Instagram, and those who weren’t able to find one, venting their frustrations on the apps. This helped put the brand in front of a new audience and may have got sales from people who wouldn’t have usually gone in on those days.
The media knows that this type of content generates engagement because the prospect of potentially getting something quite valuable naturally encourages people to share the giveaway, leading to plenty of likes, clicks, shares and comments. Something that online media needs and looks for when creating content.
Netflix: Say goodbye to ‘You’
Hello, you. Or should we say goodbye, you? Netflix wanted to give fans the chance to say goodbye to their beloved series and its dangerously charming protagonist, Joe Goldberg, with a virtual fan screening of the first episode on Tudum. The streaming giant also took us back to where it all started by opening up Mooney’s bookstore, where we first met Joe, in NYC.
Fans were able to visit the famous (usually fictional) bookstore at 489 Broome Street on April 22nd and 23rd between 12pm and 8pm. There, they were able to take part in a unique literary scavenger hunt with exclusive merch, fun prizes and plenty of photo opps. However, it was first come, first served so fans had to be quick.
Other bookstores around the US featured their own You scavenger hunts leading to free merchandise and access to Tudum’s virtual fan screening.
This was both successful in the media and on social media, with international fans rushing to socials to see what the Mooney’s pop-up looked like and lucky fans sharing their experiences inside the store.
Standout coverage
- Timeout (DA 92): Mooney’s bookstore from Netflix’s ‘You’ is popping up in NYC
- USA Today (DA 94): Fans can go inside the ‘You’ bookstore in New York as Netflix series wraps
- The Knockturnal (DA 54) Netflix’s “You” Mooney’s Bookstore Pop Up in New York!
- Average Socialite (DA 38): NETFLIX MOONEY’S BOOKSTORE POP-UP, NYC
- Reel360 (DA 35): Netflix bids farewell to YOU with Mooney’s Pop-Up in NYC
- Secret NYC (DA 55): Stalk The Aisles Of Netflix’s ‘You’ Bookstore IRL At This NYC Pop-Up—Just Don’t Catch Joe’s Attention
Why it worked
This worked mainly down to timing, but also due to the show’s success and the mammoth that is Netflix and their marketing team. This coincided with the launch of the highly anticipated final (and long-awaited) season of ‘You’.
The fact that they created a pop-up version of the bookstore from the show gave fans a tangible, engaging and memorable experience that helped generate a buzz around the show and drove media coverage. Those attending will most likely document the visit online, not only generating engagement with the brand but also increasing brand awareness for people who may not have seen the show.
While the pop-up was in one location, and helped drive regional coverage, it didn’t stop national titles covering it. Other bookstores around the US were doing their own scavenger hunts to coincide with the launch. The fact that the pop-up was just in New York, the city where the show started, for just two days gave a sense of urgency and exclusivity with fans and influencers rushing to make sure they were able to take a look inside the famous bookstore.
Another perfect example of why brands should be tapping into popular culture to create captivating and engaging content.
Mummy Pig takes over Battersea Power Station
Mummy Pig announced her pregnancy back in February with a surprise appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, and since then it’s been BIG news.
To celebrate the news, the Peppa Pig store at Battersea Power Station held a special Gender Reveal party in store, on Friday 25th April, to announce whether Peppa and George were having a new little brother or sister.
The in store party featured plenty of baby-themed fun and games, themed food and drink, interactive activities for all the family, plus photo opportunities and character appearances from the whole family. Battersea Power Station’s chimneys were lit up when the sun went down in pink and blue to reveal the baby’s gender to the capital.
Not only did the PR stunt secure plenty of coverage in national, regional and trade titles, it also built up a huge buzz on social media with plenty covering the stunt on both Instagram and TikTok.
Standout coverage
- Secret London (DA 63) Following An Elaborate Gender Reveal At Battersea Power Station, We Can Reveal That Mummy Pig Is Having A…
- LondonWorld (DA 53) Mummy Pig is having an epic gender reveal at Battersea Power Station – and everyone is invited!
- London Evening Standard (DA 93): Peppa Pig fans finally discover gender of Mummy Pig’s baby in big reveal
- Daily Mail (DA 94): Girl or boy? Peppa Pig and her family prepare for a huge gender reveal party as they count down to the birth of new baby
- The Independent (DA 94): Mummy Pig hosts real-life gender reveal for Peppa’s new baby sibling
Why it worked
Peppa Pig is popular. Why? It’s relatable as it focuses on family and everyday experiences, it’s charming and it’s simple, positive storytelling. The show’s popularity has exploded since Mummy Pig announced she was having a third baby back in February. The announcement actually broke the internet, making Hasbro’s overall PR campaign a huge success.
To generate more coverage around the campaign, the company decided to hold a gender reveal party, capitalising on the buzz already surrounding the brand. The stunt was not only unique, but also memorable, interesting and attention-grabbing. Plus, Peppa Pig is an icon, so it’s no surprise it was a success.
According to PrettyGreen, the company behind the stunt, the gender reveal was teased to the press with a double embargo, the first at midnight to announce that the party was happening later that day, and the second at 14:30 sharing that the new piglet will be a girl. Helping to capture the media’s attention and head to the event to get their own content.
The campaign provided plenty of shareable visual content, including mummy and daddy pig celebrating in front of the lit up chimneys to capture the internet’s attention and internet meme culture.
