It feels like I blinked and May passed me by! Admittedly, my April PR campaigns blog was fashionably late okay? But it still feels as though this month has flown. Despite this though, there’s been an excellent dose of quality campaigns to come out of the last 31 days.
So much so, this blog has pretty much written itself this month!
Let’s crack on, shall we? Below are the 7 weird and wonderful PR stunts and digital campaigns that I absolutely loved in May, and my reasoning as to why they earned their spot in this post.
My Top 7 PR Campaigns Of May 2022
1. Mercury Is In Retrograde, Time To Change Your Bra!
Starting strong are Pour Moi’s crystal bras, launched in time for when Mercury headed into retrograde earlier this month (this bitch!). Many of us spiritual girlies know this chaotic time is one where we should keep our crystals close, and this lingerie range ensures you’ll never forget to. This is a campaign that is bang on trend, super relevant to the brand, and completely unique, there’s no doubt it garnered a tonne of press coverage, it certainly got some love on social.
2. ‘Meatballs’ For Bugs With IKEA
IKEA’s a hit not just for their affordable Scandi furniture, but supposedly for meatballs too (I wouldn’t know, my friends know I’m a hopelessly fussy eater). In 2020, the brand launched the ‘plant ball’ for their veggie and vegan customers. In May 2022, they’ve gone one step further for the environment and launched the ‘seed ball’, or at least in a classic IKEA move, instructions on how to make one. The campaign actually comes from overseas in Demark, in a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, but that doesn’t stop this UK blog from being a big fan! IKEA is a firm favourite amongst the discerning marketeer for their quick-off-the-mark-but-always-on-brand campaigns, this is another of the same vein, but one that still worked very well. This brand continues to reinforce why the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” methodology is one to think about when it comes to your PR campaigns.
3. Aint No Party Like A Greggs Party
Greggs’ marketing team really is something else. Just when I think they can’t impress me anymore, one of the girls heads out in a pasty packet party dress and goes viral on Twitter. Something the brand isn’t at all unfamiliar with. Stephanie stepped out in an iconic outfit for her hen at the beginning of this month and it wasn’t just us marketeers that loved it – with over 30k likes it’s safe to say this is a campaign that amused plenty of people. It’s a great example of how a little effort can go a long way so long as the idea is right, and how branded marketing doesn’t have to be boring and boxed in either. This has to be one of my favourites yet! I’m #TeamGreggs forever and always.
4. GymShark Reminds Us Of The Weight Of Mental Health
A post from Gymshark’s Noel Mack really struck a chord with me this month. Sometimes the simplest ideas can make the most impact, and I feel that rings true here. With the tagline ‘some weights are harder to spot than others’ fronting the brand’s campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week, this collaboration between GymShark’s social and creative team really hit the mark and was the one that caught my attention the most.
5. Bridgerton Vibes, Home Or Away!
Though Bridgerton campaigns are coming to their natural end after the second season premiered in April, this piece in The Telegraph proves that if the idea is right, then you can still attract coverage even if you’re not super quick off the mark. I’m so sorry but it’s completely slipped my mind as to who shared this ‘how to create a Bridgerton garden at home’ article on Twitter (if it was you, please please let me know so I can credit you!) but I saved it for this blog all the same as I really loved it. Since moving to traditional PR, I’ve become a big fan of timely, relevant campaigns that still benefit the client. Many of you will know I love a Telegraph Travel roundup and have secured quite a number of them for the businesses I work with over the years. Therefore, this kind of piece, tied in with my all-time favourite period drama was always going to be a winner for me. It earns a proud spot within this month’s post.
6. Grab Your Popcorn For Some Courtroom Drama
The ‘Wagatha Cristie’ trial got underway this month. If you need a reminder………. It was Rebekah Vardy’s account! With such a high-profile case, there’s every chance a brand can go viral by getting involved, but, they must play it right. If you haven’t already seen, I wrote for PRWeek last week on why businesses shouldn’t be getting involved in the Depp v Heard trial, and I stand by that – with it being a domestic abuse issue and all. In that article though, I also gave kudos to Butterkist for jumping on the Vardy v Rooney debacle with their clever courtroom sketch. Though both defamation trials, the undertones are so so different. Any good PR will know when it’s right to get involved, and when it isn’t and I think my favorite toffee popcorn provider got this one just right.
7. Love Island Ditches Fast Fashion
Though this writer is (embarrassingly) a fan of Love Island, this blog is not so much. Despite my best efforts, I do get sucked in by the show every year, but I also tend to hate everything it stands for. However, the winds may be changing as I was so impressed to hear this month that the show – iconic for its past brand partnerships with the likes of I Saw It First – has dumped the deals this year and instead teamed up with eBay to encourage second-hand shopping. Whether you like it or not, Love Island has an insane influence over many people. As Vogue Business puts it, “the reality dating show is arguably more famous for turning contestants into fast fashion influencers than helping them find love”, so how wonderful to see that it’ll be promoting sustainable options instead this year? The ITV2 sensation still has a long way to go, but small steps make big impacts and this is one of the few fashion partnerships I can really really get behind. Bravo Love Island!
Where Else To Find Creative Inspo?
As I mention every month, there are a number of wonderful industry professionals who culminate weekly, fortnightly, or monthly newsletters that bring you all the best PR campaigns in the same place. If you like this blog I highly recommend you follow and read these too. They are…
- The Grapevine by Iona Townsley
- The Weekly PR by Bethanie Jane
- Work In PRogress by Abi Bennets
You can also check out…
- Creative Corner by Rich Leigh & Creative Moment
- Good & Bad PR by Andy Barr & PR Moment
- Famous Campaigns by Taylor Herring
Jessica Pardoe | PR, Marketing and Communications Blogger | See All Posts By Jessica Pardoe 