Experiential stunts used to be executed for the sake of causing a stir, but marketers are replacing the “just because” approach with more research-driven tactics. By tapping into data and audience pain points, savvy brands are pouncing on the opportunity to craft more meaningful stunts that offer both relevance and wow-factor. Let’s look at the trend in action.
Recent headlines have been dominated by stats on Gen Z’s dating woes and desire to ditch matchmaking apps in favor of building in-person connections—a clear opening for brands to entice the demo by hosting IRL events.
Take online grocery delivery brand FreshDirect. When a Forbes health survey showed that 79 percent of Gen Z feels “dating app burnout,” the brand seized the opportunity to deliver real-life meetups. Enter: New York City’s Longest Speed Dating Event.
More than 100 New Yorkers joined FreshDirect at Domino Park to make connections through, as FreshDirect put it, “the greatest love language of all—food.” The sold-out experience included a charcuterie spread hand-selected by the brand, and a 48-foot-long speed-dating picnic table where attendees dined and dated.
Dating platforms like Hinge, which last year revealed that 82 percent of Gen Zers report feeling isolated, are following suit to combat the loneliness epidemic.
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On the other side of the pendulum, some brands are addressing consumer pain points by cleverly trolling their competitors. Wendy’s fit the bill with a stunt promoting its $1 small Frosty—a rival of the McFlurry. The brand teamed up with McBroken.com, a site that keeps track of which McDonald’s locations have inoperative ice cream machines, and tapped into data that revealed the markets where the most Mickey D’s branches were unable to serve ice cream.
Then, Wendy’s made its move. The brand revved up a fleet of “Frosty Fix” ice cream trucks and parked them outside of McDonald’s locations where ice cream was unavailable. The back of the vehicles read: “Honk if you like reliable desserts.”
RX Bar produced a similar stunt at the start of this year with a “B.S. Blocker” truck that called out brands who push “New Year, New You”-themed messaging.
Over in the entertainment realm, Budweiser took matters into its own hands when the UK’s prestigious Brit Awards failed to nominate a female in the Artist of the Year category. On the eve of the awards event, the brand transformed one of its billboards in the nearby Shoreditch area into a concert stage that literally provided a platform for a group of emerging female and nonbinary artists to showcase their talents.
And for frozen snack brand Yasso, a solution to some very relatable data yielded a very relevant stunt. According to a brand survey, 71 percent of Americans say they just want to let out a scream. In response, Yasso teamed up with “ridiculously positive” TV host Ross Mathews to launch “I Scream for Yasso” venting booths located in key markets, where consumers released their frustrations for a chance to win a year’s supply of treats and $2,000.
Bottom line: Give your back a rest and let data do the heavy lifting.
