7 wild and ridiculous PR and marketing stunts

From staged street performances to concerts equipped with beds and “sheep LED art,” it seems these seven brands wanted to make a serious impression—no matter how extravagant, strange, or downright perplexing the results. The over-the-top product promotions illustrate an important lesson for brands: a good idea in theory might not make for the most effective promo in practice.

1. Classical music, beds and ice cream star in Haggen-Dazs’ promo concert.

Ah, nothing says comfort like classical music, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, and a luxury bed. Factor in hundreds of other people, all housed in a concert hall for two days, and something else entirely comes to mind. The concept behind Haagen-Dazs’ plan to promote the brand’s ‘Dulce’ flavor series seems great in theory—but super weird in practice. Just take a look:

2. Verizon’s “Network” materializes in real life, stalks random snowboarder.

In the early 2000s, it was hard to escape Verizon’s ubiquitous “Can You Hear Me Now” campaign—just the site of thick-rimmed glasses could induce endless riffs on the brand’s geek-chic mascot.