Brand Stunts That Broke the Internet

Earlier this year the online sphere was left in a state of shock when Duolingo announced the death of its beloved mascot Duo. The stunt garnered extensive attention for for the language learning app, but of course Duolingo aren't the first brand to deliver an unforgettable PR stunt. Get ready to be inspired by some of our favourite marketing stunts of all time...

Duolingo - The Death of Duo the Owl

Renowned for some pretty unhinged stunts, Duolingo took their creativity to the next level when they appeared to kill off their mascot, Duo the Owl. They released a video of Duo being hit by a Tesla Cybertruck and the internet went crazy. Duolingo drip-fed new information about the incident and eventually revealed that users of the app would have to work together to obtain 50 billion in-app XP to resurrect Duo. 

Although Duolingo have yet to release stats to demonstrate the success of the campaign, their Creative Director of Brand James Kuczynski, said that the stunt was “By far our biggest moment to date. Equivalent to three Super Bowl spots in terms of media impressions.” 

Duolingo's social media posts led to numerous brand interactions, including with Skyscanner, Walmart and even Peta. 

Some even tried to jump on the bandwagon, with Lipton announcing the death (discontinuation) of their Peach Ice Tea flavour and then less than 24 hours later, declaring it an April Fool’s joke (although a fortnight early). 

Lynx also announced the discontinuation of their popular Africa scent. After a wave of backlash from fans, the brand quickly clarified that Lynx Africa is not going anywhere, it’s simply getting a new can design. 

Severance - Grand Central Terminal Pop-Up

Commuters were brought to a halt in Grand Central Station in January thanks to a clever marketing stunt from the creators behind TV show Severance. Passers by would have noticed a glass cube filled with actors in business casual, miming the mundane motions of office work. The marketing team recreated an element of the show in the glass box, with actors from the show taking part. 

Unsurprisingly, the pop-up was a resounding success, going viral on social media and generating an impressive amount of interactions. 

Barbie - Malibu Dreamhouse On AirBnB

Arguably the biggest movie of 2023, Barbie was at the centre of numerous large-scale marketing campaigns. Perhaps most notable, was the return of Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse to Airbnb. To mark the film's release, fans were able to request to book Ken's bedroom in the house free of charge.

This wasn't the first time that the Barbie franchise had made notable marketing moves. Back in 1997 residents in Ash Street, Salford woke up to the entire street painted pink in honour of the Barbie doll's release.

Starbucks - Unicorn Frappuccino 

Back in 2017 Starbucks took advantage of the so-called "unicorn trend" with their own tasty creation. The flavour may have divided opinions, but the Unicorn Frappuccino certainly got everyone talking with over 150,000 Instagram posts before the product sold out.

Starbucks capitalised on the trend of sharing food photos online and consumers growing sense of FOMO (fear of missing out). Stores reported a jump in sales and Starbucks went on to try other PR stunts with their products such as the Midnight Mint Mocha and Zombie Frappuccino.

Carlsberg - PROBABLY THE Best Poster in the World

Carlsberg gained fans in London back in 2015 with a very unique advertising campaign. Inspired by the brand's slogan, the billboard was simple with just the words "probably the best poster in the world" on it. But impressively, it also had an actual beer tap in the middle of it. The concept perfectly captured the essence of the Carlsberg brand and had a huge impression on passersby and online with the hashtag #probablythebest generating over 3 million Twitter impressions in just one day.

Fortitude - Polar Bear Let Loose

Commuters in London received the shock of their lives when they encountered a life sized polar bear to promote Sky Atlantic drama, Fortitude. The creators wanted normal people to feel what it would be like to be up close to an actual polar bear.

Social media went wild at the idea of a polar bear on the loose and the campaign successfully gained attention for a new TV show.

Ready to Achieve More with Your Business?

The OCOCO team are experts in creating high-impact social media marketing campaigns. Contact us today to book your complimentary consultation and discover how we can help you achieve long-term results.