October: Happy spooky szn to all those who celebrate!

Between Halloween, the return of cosy season, pumpkin-spiced lattes and the clocks going back, we had a whole lot of digital PR campaigns to choose from.

So, here are some of our favourites. As always, we’ll be exploring what these brands did, why their campaigns were a success, and the coverage they gained as a result.

HelloFresh x Friends: Rachel Green’s Trifle Kit

Ahead of Thanksgiving next month and in celebration of Friend’s 30th anniversary, HelloFresh has teamed up with Friends. They’ve released a Limited Edition recipe box transporting you to Monica’s kitchen, and giving you the chance to make Rachel Green’s infamous trifle (yuck). 

The $35 limited edition kit has everything you need to make a sweet English trifle and a savoury Shepherd’s pie, including an apron and a custom double-serving dish with a divider so you can enjoy them together without the two mixing. 

Maybe the reason they launched it in October was to give customers both a trick and a treat? Either way, the campaign did well, securing over 20 pieces of coverage in major US publications.

Standout coverage

• Good Housekeeping (DA 88): I Made Rachel’s Thanksgiving Trifle from ‘Friends,’ and What’s Not to Like?
• Forbes (DA 94): HelloFresh Wants You To Make Rachel Green’s Trifle This Thanksgiving
• FoodBeast (DA 80): Bringing Rachel’s Iconic Trifle To Your Holiday Table
• Good Morning America (DA 80): Iconic ‘Friends’ Thanksgiving trifle meal kit comes with special dish to separate sweet and savory recipes
• Food & Wine (DA 86): HelloFresh Is Re-Creating a Famous ‘Friends’ Episode With 2 Thanksgiving Treats
• Elite Daily (DA 89): I TRIED HELLOFRESH’S $35 RACHEL’S TRIFLE RECIPE FROM FRIENDS

Why it worked

It’s quirky, it’s memorable, it’s nostalgic – basically, everything you need for a successful campaign, especially one looking to boost sales and brand awareness. HelloFresh combined a beloved TV show moment with a culinary experience and tied it into a huge holiday, ultimately selling out the box almost as soon as it was launched. 

While not many people will particularly want to eat a half trifle/half Shepherd’s pie, this is one of the most iconic scenes from one of the biggest, most beloved TV shows in the world and HelloFresh wanted to capitalise on the show’s huge success. 

Lastly, the unusual flavours helped spark curiosity and engagement, while the Limited Edition aspect helped create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among consumers.

McDonalds: ‘Boo Buckets’ are back for Halloween

It wouldn’t be an October roundup without a Halloween campaign now would it? And this is a fun one. McDonalds brought back its iconic Monster Boo buckets, just in time for spooky season. 

The buckets, available at participating restaurants in the US and Australia, came in four colours and each featured a different happy monster face. All come with a yellow handle, along with the McDonald’s signature yellow ‘M’ attached to it. Perfect for trick or treating! 

While available, each bucket is a temporary replacement for the classic Happy Meal box, so the only way to get your hands on it is by ordering a Happy Meal. Special stickers come with each purchase so kids can dress up their buckets however they wish. 

Unsurprisingly, this creative stunt was a hit, with hundreds of coverage in major US publications and on TV, including national, regional, lifestyle, marketing and food trade titles. 

Standout coverage

• Independent (DA 94): McBoo! McDonald’s famed Halloween buckets are back and here’s how you can get one
• Taste of Home (DA 81): McDonald’s Halloween Boo Buckets Are Coming Back—Here’s What We Know
• TODAY (DA 92): McDonald’s customers are booing its new Halloween Boo Buckets: ‘Strong pass’
• Delish (DA 85): McDonald’s New Boo Buckets Just Leaked And They’re Already Starting Drama
• USA Today (DA 94): Boo Buckets return to McDonald’s Happy Meals on October 15

Why it worked

People love these Boo Buckets. They’re a nostalgic marketing campaign that resonates not only with new generations but old generations too.

They were first introduced in the 80s as part of the Halloween Happy Meal but were discontinued in 2016. After making a comeback in 2022, people have been waiting for them to return. This has resulted in the buckets garnering a cult following, so people will rush to get them before they sell out. 

Its quirkiness also meant it went viral on social media, ending up with nearly 58,000 likes and over 1000 comments, attracting even more media attention. The campaign encouraged users to share their ‘Boo Buckets’ and engage with their post announcing the return of the iconic buckets.

It was timely, too. Linking with a major holiday – Halloween – helps the media push it to the top of the news agenda and pushes people to pick up the buckets before stocks sell out in time to use them for trick or treating.

Uswitch.com: Cornwall is the UK’s heat pump capital

The issues surrounding sustainability and energy bills have become increasingly topical in recent years, as well as the use of renewable energy and our relationship with nature. Comparison and switching service, Uswitch, tapped into this with their heat pump campaign to try and increase adoption of the technology in the UK. 

The comparison site completed a report following an analysis of nearly 26 million EPC certificates to find out which area was using the most heat pumps in the UK. They also broke it down by type to see which was the most popular. 

The campaign explored some of the factors behind why the adoption of the technology has been slow around the country from high installation costs, unsuitable old homes, lack of skilled installers and lack of consumer knowledge. The landing page features all of the data along with two top 10 tables – one featuring the 10 places with the highest number of heat pumps, and one with the top areas with the least number of heat pumps. 

This campaign secured around 10 pieces of coverage in national, regional and trade titles across the UK.

Standout coverage

• Energy Live News (DA 64): Cornwall leads UK in heat pump installations
• EIBI (DA 20): Cornwall tops the UK in number of heat pump installations
• This is Money (DA 82): Areas with the most heat pumps revealed… and the places where they haven’t caught on
• MSC Certified (DA 50): Cornwall is the UK’s hot spot for renewable energy installations
• Daily Express (DA 93): Map shows full list of UK areas with the most heat pumps – and where they’ve been snubbed
• HVP Magazine (DA 34): Cornwall is the UK’s hot spot for renewable energy installations

Why it worked

This campaign was successful for various reasons, with timing being the first. It was released in the Autumn when plenty of journalists were talking about energy bills, sustainability and the different ways to heat your home. Although lots of people are talking about ways to reduce your energy bills, this topic is offering a different angle, exploring the adoption of heat pumps.

The campaign also used data to help make the story more engaging and interesting to journalists. It identified a unique angle and narrative: the top 10 areas with the most and least heat pumps. This was the angle used by almost all of the titles covering the campaign. It makes it easy to picture as the areas can be mapped, making it not only a good story but also a great visual campaign.

In addition, the campaign can also be regionalised and issued to media titles in the areas mentioned on both top 10 lists, helping to build brand awareness at a local level and helping to engage local communities. 

Lastly, as a popular and recognisable comparison website, Uswitch.com is well-positioned to provide insights and advice on energy-related issues, instantly giving campaign credibility with journalists.