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Top 100 Publicity Stunt Trends in 2019

From Gender Reveal Lasagnas to Swapped Logo Aesthetics

— January 26, 2020 — Marketing
A number of intriguing 2019 publicity stunt trends took place over the course of the year, ranging from wearable anti-spoiler buttons to branded scented wrapping paper -- all of which help brands stand out and increase brand awareness.

One industry that effectively leveraged publicity stunts to not only engage with customers but also take a playful dig at its competitors is Burger Kings. Over the course of 2019, the fast-food chain released a number of publicity stunts including its April Fools prank campaign that crowdsourced the expertise of college students to trick their friends. The brand also recently took advantage of David Datuna ate Maurizio Cattelan's $120,000 conceptual art installation, a real banana duct-taped to a wall. In place of the banana was a french fry to underscore the affordability of Burger King's products.

For more marketing innovations in the year ahead, check out Trend Hunter’s 2020 Trend Report.
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
100
Failed Festival Pop-Ups
Failed Festival Pop-Ups
Replay Lincoln Park is Hosting a Fyre Festival Pop-Up Experience
<
99
Boundary-Pushing Running Challenges
Boundary-Pushing Running Challenges
This Running Event Spotlights the ASICS GLIDERIDE Technology
<
98
Rumored Customer-Inspired Sneakers
Rumored Customer-Inspired Sneakers
The Air Jordan 1 SP Gina are Still a Hypothetical Release
<
97
Promotional Grain-Based Art
Promotional Grain-Based Art
Pringles Created Art on Rice to Launch Its Rice Fusion Range
<
96
Iconic Vintage Jewelry Giveaways
Iconic Vintage Jewelry Giveaways
JewelStreet is Giving Away a Necklace Worn by Marilyn Monroe
<
95
Funhouse Chapel Rides
Funhouse Chapel Rides
Norwich Cathedral's Ride Helps Visitors Appreciate Ornate Interior Details
<
94
QSR Pizza Crust Snacks
QSR Pizza Crust Snacks
Villa Italian Kitchen's 'Just The Crusts' Shares a Favorite Part of Pizza
<
93
Hot Air Balloon Activations
Hot Air Balloon Activations
Hendrick's Gin Launched a 'Portal of Peculiarity' Air Installation
<
92
Gender Gap-Addressing Show Campaigns
Gender Gap-Addressing Show Campaigns
The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu is Highlighted Through a Call-out
<
91
Pop-Up Privacy Cafes
Pop-Up Privacy Cafes
London's Facebook Cafe Shows Users How to Protect Themselves on Social Media
<
90
Branded Culinary Experiences
Branded Culinary Experiences
Mastercard Launched a Restaurant Collective Called 'Priceless'
<
89
Mango Shop Pop-Ups
Mango Shop Pop-Ups
For One Day, the National Mango Board Set Up 'The Mango Store'
<
88
Stealthy Snacking Jackets
Stealthy Snacking Jackets
The Flipz Ja-HACK-et Simplifies Summertime Snacking
<
87
Crowdsourced Prank Campaigns
Crowdsourced Prank Campaigns
Burger King Taps the Expertise of College Students for April Fools'
<
86
Airport Runway Test Drives
Airport Runway Test Drives
The Genesis G70 Test Drive Took Place on an Active Runway
<
85
Comedy-Themed Meal Boxes
Comedy-Themed Meal Boxes
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Meal Pack Celebrates an Amazon Prime Video Show
<
84
Bring-Your-Own-Table Dining Events
Bring-Your-Own-Table Dining Events
Birra Moretti is Offering Free Six-Course Meals for Guests
<
83
Branded Scented Wrapping Paper
Branded Scented Wrapping Paper
Taco Bell Returns with Its CrunchWrapping Paper, but with a Twist
<
82
Sky-High Dining Experiences
Sky-High Dining Experiences
Deliveroo Offers Dining Experience in the Sky in the UK
<
81
Silent Fast Food Drive-Thrus
Silent Fast Food Drive-Thrus
Burger King's 'Silent Pick Drive' Requires No Verbal Communication
<
80
Eyebrow-Accenting Sunglasses
Eyebrow-Accenting Sunglasses
Benefit Cosmetics Created the 'All Abrowed It' Sunglasses Style
<
79
Immersive Color-It-Yourself Installations
Immersive Color-It-Yourself Installations
Camden Town Brewery Boasted an Artistic Opportunity
<
78
Luxury Car Pop-up Events
Luxury Car Pop-up Events
Jaguar and Wimbledon Will Launch the Ace Pace Wimbledon Edition App
<
77
24-Hour Beauty Shops
24-Hour Beauty Shops
Revlon Launched a 24-Hour Beauty Salon and is Offering Free Treatments
<
76
In-Car Burger Deliveries
In-Car Burger Deliveries
Burger King's Whopper are Now Available to Individuals Stuck in Traffic
<
75
All-in-One Mobile Cocktail Kits
All-in-One Mobile Cocktail Kits
The Wild Turkey 101 Old Fashioned Barpack Has a Built-In Bar
<
74
Backfired April Fool's Pranks
Backfired April Fool's Pranks
Mcdonald's Prank -- the McPickle Burger, Took an Unexpected Turn
<
73
Candy Hotel Room Activations
Candy Hotel Room Activations
Howard Johnson by Wyndham Celebrates Its Design Refresh with a Pop-up
<
72
Tomato Sauce-Flavored Ice Creams
Tomato Sauce-Flavored Ice Creams
Heinz Wattie’s Taps Unconventional Flavors for a Tip Top Collab
<
71
Brand-Centric Soccer Installations
Brand-Centric Soccer Installations
adidas & ESPADAYSANTACRUZ Honor NEMEZIZ 19 with an Installation
<
70
Snack-Filled Secret Bunkers
Snack-Filled Secret Bunkers
Cheez-It Created a Bunker in the US for One Lucky Fan to Find
<
69
Responsible Alcohol Consumption Campaigns
Responsible Alcohol Consumption Campaigns
Budweiser Reminds People to 'Drink Wiser' This Halloween
<
68
Child-Specific Flight Care Packs
Child-Specific Flight Care Packs
The Kraft Flight Relief Pack is Filled with Items for Kids
<
67
Valentine's Produce Packaging
Valentine's Produce Packaging
Lidl's Fresh Fruit Packaging Features Commonly Used Love Emojis
<
66
Athlete-Focused Pizzeria Pop-Ups
Athlete-Focused Pizzeria Pop-Ups
New Balance Will Reward Runners Based on Mileage with Pizza
<
65
Plant Care Hotels
Plant Care Hotels
The Patch Plant Hotel is the World's First Hotel Exclusively for Plants
<
64
QSR Cross-Stitch Patterns
QSR Cross-Stitch Patterns
KFC is Selling Limited-Edition Craft Patterns on Etsy
<
63
Gummy Bear Face Masks
Gummy Bear Face Masks
Sugarfina Shared a Unique Face Mask Recipe for April Fool's Day
<
62
Pizza-Embedded Skateboards
Pizza-Embedded Skateboards
&pizza Created the Ultimate Pizza Skateboard with a Real Pizza Inside
<
61
Superhero Suit Snack Bags
Superhero Suit Snack Bags
Special 'Incognito Doritos' Bags Transform into Replica Spider-Man Suits
<
60
Wearable Anti-Spoiler Buttons
Wearable Anti-Spoiler Buttons
This Set of Buttons Helps Fans Avoid Game of Thrones Spoilers
<
59
Temporary Humorous Rebrands
Temporary Humorous Rebrands
The Pizza Hut Brand Becomes Pizza Hut Hut in Time for the Super Bowl
<
58
Home Furnishing Full-Service Restaurants
Home Furnishing Full-Service Restaurants
Crate & Barrel Opens New Restaurant 'The Table at Crate'
<
57
Dog-Friendly Secret Menus
Dog-Friendly Secret Menus
One Starbucks Secret Menu Item is Geared Toward Furry Companions
<
56
Furniture Brand Tarot Decks
Furniture Brand Tarot Decks
The IKEA Tarot is Designed by Brooklyn-Based Akiva Leffert
<
55
Branded Glamping Experience Events
Branded Glamping Experience Events
M&M’s Unveiled Its First Glampground at a NASCAR Race
<
54
Stress-Relieving Public Punching Bags
Stress-Relieving Public Punching Bags
Donttakethisthewrongway's Idea is Tailored to Common Spaces
<
53
Gender Reveal Lasagnas
Gender Reveal Lasagnas
Villa Italian Kitchen is Offering a New Kind of Gender Reveal Food
<
52
Pint-Sized Pancake Houses
Pint-Sized Pancake Houses
The World’s Tiniest IHOP Just Opened Up in Los Angeles
<
51
Eco-Friendly Parcel Delivery Campaigns
Eco-Friendly Parcel Delivery Campaigns
Sendle Released Limited-Edition Climate Awareness Stickers
<
50
Wacky Crowdfunding Campaigns
Wacky Crowdfunding Campaigns
KFC is Attempting to Get Its Consumers to Fund Its Marketing Stunts
<
49
Soothing Candy Bouquets
Soothing Candy Bouquets
Snickers Gave Away Free Creamy Snickers Bouquets to Launch Its New Treat
<
48
Color-Centric Cafes
Color-Centric Cafes
LG's Café OLED in New York City Shares Tinted Lattes & Colorful Pastries
<
47
Branded Tap Water Campaigns
Branded Tap Water Campaigns
The 100% H2O 'Guinness Clear' Promotes a Safe Drinking Experience
<
46
Social Media-Savvy Financial Pop-Ups
Social Media-Savvy Financial Pop-Ups
The Stack House Attempts to Empower Women Through Finance
<
45
Customizable Embroidery Collections
Customizable Embroidery Collections
Zara Debuts the New 'Edited Collection' with Custom Embroidery
<
44
Fried Chicken Ice Creams
Fried Chicken Ice Creams
KFC Will Offer Kentucky Fried Chicken-Flavored Ice Cream This Summer
<
43
Disorienting Awareness Campaigns
Disorienting Awareness Campaigns
Ambev Brewery Tweaks Beer Names to Highlight Effects of Drinking
<
42
Wearable Picnic Blankets
Wearable Picnic Blankets
KFC's 'Picnic Polo' Instantly Helps to Set Up a Picnic Anywhere
<
41
Dip-Holding Pool Float Giveaways
Dip-Holding Pool Float Giveaways
Heluva Good! & Nsync’s Singers Launched a Two-Person Pool Float
<
40
Slowly Rusting Metal Billboards
Slowly Rusting Metal Billboards
TYROLIT Finds a Thematically Appropriate Way to Boast Its Product
<
39
QSR Mascot Rugs
QSR Mascot Rugs
KFC Created a Quirky Limited-Edition Faux Fur Rug for Valentine's Day
<
38
Anti-Clown Burger Ads
Anti-Clown Burger Ads
Burger King and Mcdonald's Fued Continues with Anti-Clown Ads
<
37
Luxury-Focused Gigantic Backpacks
Luxury-Focused Gigantic Backpacks
Louis Vuitton Launches a Huge Bag That Retails for $10,000 USD
<
36
Beachfront Sandcastle Hotel Rooms
Beachfront Sandcastle Hotel Rooms
The Booking.com “SAND”-sion Offers a Comfy Stay on the Beach
<
35
Avocado-Shaped Accomodations
Avocado-Shaped Accomodations
Booking.com Created the 'Avo-Condo' to Appeal to Avocado Lovers
<
34
Branded Digitally Connected Parties
Branded Digitally Connected Parties
Desperados Digitally Connects Houses for a Giant House Party
<
33
Esports-Centric Pop-Up Fan Events
Esports-Centric Pop-Up Fan Events
Mastercard Delivers a League of Legends Experience to Players
<
32
Dessert-Paired Makeup Deliveries
Dessert-Paired Makeup Deliveries
Benefit Cosmetics is Sharing Boxes of Cake & Concealer in the UK
<
31
Millennial-Centric Plant Hotel Pop-Ups
Millennial-Centric Plant Hotel Pop-Ups
Kimpton Gray Boasts 10 Rooms for "Leafy Lodging"
<
30
Playful Brand Rivalries
Playful Brand Rivalries
The McDonald's vs Burger King Strategy is Quite Entertaining for Consumers
<
29
Branded Zero Likes Campaigns
Branded Zero Likes Campaigns
Kahlúa's 'Zero Likes Given' Campaign is an Exhibit of Unliked Posts
<
28
Oversized Shopping Bag Ads
Oversized Shopping Bag Ads
Primark's Walking Billboards Marked the Re-Opening of a Flagship Store
<
27
Recycling Awareness Beverage Ads
Recycling Awareness Beverage Ads
Coca-Cola's New Ads Asks Consumers to "Help Us Recycle"
<
26
Video Game-Inspired Vodkas
Video Game-Inspired Vodkas
Bethesda and Rebel Distillers Launched the DOOM Bone Vodka
<
25
Single-Person Restaurants
Single-Person Restaurants
Irma's Restaurant 1:1 is Only a Restaurant for One
<
24
Pop-Up Bike Racks
Pop-Up Bike Racks
Union and Natwerk Bring Additional Bike-Friendly Infrastructure to Amsterdam
<
23
Spoof Fast Food Ads
Spoof Fast Food Ads
Burger King's Careful What You Swallow Campaign References an Art Basel Event
<
22
Affordable Ice Tea-Inspired Sneakers
Affordable Ice Tea-Inspired Sneakers
adidas and AriZona sell their shoe collaboration for $0.99
<
21
Wearable Snack Harnesses
Wearable Snack Harnesses
The 'Reynolds Wrap Hunger Harness' Holds Drinks & Keeps Food Hot
<
20
Oversized Dog-Carrying Bags
Oversized Dog-Carrying Bags
Klarna Collaborated with Menswear Dog to Support Pet Owners in NYC
<
19
Custom-Made Envelope Stunts
Custom-Made Envelope Stunts
Jason Markow is Giving the Gift of Nothing in a Design-Forward Manner
<
18
Creative Subway Station Campaigns
Creative Subway Station Campaigns
IKEA Takes Billboards in the Subway to a Whole New Level
<
17
Cheese-Dispensing Interactive Billboards
Cheese-Dispensing Interactive Billboards
Taco Bell Canada Has an Unconventional Promotional Tactic
<
16
Coffee Brand Storytelling Campaigns
Coffee Brand Storytelling Campaigns
Starbucks Unveiled Its Brand Design Evolution for the Public
<
15
Bold Celebrity-Branded Condoms
Bold Celebrity-Branded Condoms
Miley Cyrus Unveils the New 'She is Coming' Condom Collection
<
14
Fantastical Food Promotions
Fantastical Food Promotions
Wendy's Game of Thrones Promotion Combines Elements of Fire & Ice
<
13
Holographic AI Stylists
Holographic AI Stylists
The BAFTA Awards' CGI Model 'Shudu' Lets Consumers Shop Looks from Home
<
12
Fast Food-Inspired Beehives
Fast Food-Inspired Beehives
McDonald's Sweden Creates the World's Smallest McDonald's
<
11
Daring Brand Call-Out Ads
Daring Brand Call-Out Ads
This Skechers Ad Takes a Risk as It Trolls the Nike NCAA Malfunction
<
10
Mysterious Logo-Dependent Campaigns
Mysterious Logo-Dependent Campaigns
American Red Cross' 'Missing Type' Revamps the Logos of Brands
<
9
Millennial-Targeted CGI Mascots
Millennial-Targeted CGI Mascots
KFC Colonel Sanders is Now a Digital Influencer on Instagram
<
8
Soundproof Isolation Pods
Soundproof Isolation Pods
Groupon is Offering a Fully Furnished Father's Day Man Cave
<
7
Social Media Brand Engagements
Social Media Brand Engagements
McDonald's is Taking a Stab at Balenciaga's Slip-On Shoes
<
6
Fast Food-Themed Clothing Capsules
Fast Food-Themed Clothing Capsules
The Second KFC Fashion Line is in Collaboration with Carnival
<
5
Surprise-Inside Shopping Collectibles
Surprise-Inside Shopping Collectibles
ZURU's '5 Surprise Mini Brands' Features Tiny CPG Items
<
4
Pizza-Themed Bridal Packages
Pizza-Themed Bridal Packages
Chicago Town Created an Entire Bridal Package for Pizza Lovers
<
3
Ironically Direct Campaigns
Ironically Direct Campaigns
no name Launched A Straightforward and Hilarious Campaign
<
2
Swapped Logo Aesthetics
Swapped Logo Aesthetics
As a Bizarre Marketing Stunt, CDA Swaps the Logos of Big-Name Brands
<
1
Cheeky Marketing Strategies
Cheeky Marketing Strategies
The McDonald's Paper Bag is Eerily Similar to Alexander Wang's Design
<