Trick or Treat: PR Stunts that Paid off or Backfired
Introduction
In the world of public relations, creativity can make or break how successful a stunt will be. A smart stunt can spark online buzz and strengthen a brand's overall reputation. But, when being too bold, it can cross into the territory of being a horror story for a brand. As the years go on, brands keep creating more ways to draw attention to them. Some hit the sweet spot, while others leave a sour taste in the mouth of consumers.
The Treats: When PR Stunts hit the Sweet Spot
Doja Cat’s VMA Lipstick Eating Stunt
At this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, Doja Cat stunned audiences when she appeared to eat a tube of lipstick on the red carpet. This shocked fans, leading them to ask questions about if it was real and why she would ever do that. Hours after this occurred, she revealed that she did this to announce that she is the new global ambassador for the makeup brand MAC Cosmetics. The lipstick she ate was made by a chocolatier hired by MAC’s creative marketing team. This moment worked because it felt like “Doja” to fans. She is not new to doing something shocking, like her all red look for a 2023 fashion show. This stunt kept audiences talking and generated millions of impressions as articles were published around the world, all without isolating her fan base.
Duolingo having a Brat Summer
Duolingo, the app known for its creative and hilarious marketing stunts, took advantage of Charli xcx’s smash hit album “brat” by attending the opening show of her and Troye Sivan’s SWEAT tour. The mascot was even seen outside before the show wearing a “brat” t-shirt. In a video posted by the brand, Charli called out the brand in the crowd and the camera panned to show a group of people wearing a Duolingo mask. They captioned the video “charli said “talk to me in french” and we listened.” The reason why this worked so well is because Duolingo met their audience in a location that was taking the internet by storm: a Charli XCX concert. This stunt boosted Duolingo’s playful campaign, while also being memorable for all audiences.
Severance’s Grand Station Pop-Up
In early 2025, the Apple TV+ show Severance took over Grand Central Station in New York City ahead of season 2 of the show coming out. A glass box was placed in the middle of the station with cast members from the show acting in character. They performed mundane office tasks as if there were no bystanders watching their every move. This stunt brought massive buzz on social media, making people online either excited to watch the new season or had people interested in starting the show. The reason this worked is because it showed off the show’s concept without giving too much away. It was marketed organically, as it was just placed in a space where thousands of people walk.
The Tricks: PR Stunts that Left a Sour Note
Poppi’s Influencer Vending-Machine Mishap
In light of the 2025 Superbowl, Poppi sent influencers huge vending machines and cases of their drink to fill the machine with and show off to their followers. However, this caused a lot of backlash. Fans called out the brand, saying how it felt “out of touch” and “wasteful” to send it to influencers who probably won’t even drink all of what was provided. What was supposed to be something exclusive and get fans excited turned into something that had their fans upset and feeling like it was excessive. The reason this did not work is because Poppi made it seem like this gifting was a luxury for a few, but not all. It excluded the everyday consumer, which is exactly who Poppi wanted to reach with this campaign. v
American Eagle’s “Great Jeans”
In early August of 2025, American Eagle launched the tagline “Great Jeans” using Sydney Sweeney as their spokesperson. However, many people read this as racist since Syndney Sweeney is a white woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. It comes across like American Eagle is saying Sydney Sweeney has the best genes. Many users online called out this campaign, saying it felt tone deaf and out of touch. This stunt failed because what was supposed to be a clever pun turned into a crisis. This goes to show that when context gets lost in translation, it can cause controversy and turn consumers away.
Lipton’s “Peach Tea Farewell” Prank
In March of 2025, Lipton shocked fans by announcing that their peach flavored iced tea flavor would be discontinued. This seems like a harmless prank, but to fans it was not. The post went viral, with customers begging for it to stay. Not even 24 hours later, Lipton revealed that it was an early April Fool’s Day joke and that the flavor would not be discontinued, with the brand wanting to spark some hype around the drink and return of the flavor. However, this was met with negativity. Fans called the post manipulative and emotionally tone deaf. This stunt failed because it played with their fans' emotions. Instead of sparking excitement, it created frustration and anger with the brand. Lipton learned the hard way to not mess around with their consumer’s attachments with their favorite products.
Conclusion
The best PR stunts spark surprise and genuine excitement. In order to have a PR stunt be a treat, it is important to remember these tips:
Align with your brand identity
Respect your audience
Test your ideas before launching them
In Halloween, and PR, it’s about leaving a sweet treat with your audience, not presenting them with a trick that will ultimately drive them away.