The most engaging November 2015 publicity stunts prove that there is always a creative way to go about a promotion. The most unusual campaigns include McDonald’s Japan giving away free meals to people who share a name with one of its new burgers, benches that give away chocolate bars and record-breaking pitchers of iced tea.
Some of the best publicity stunts of all happened on Back to the Future Day, where brands across all industries stepped up to reference time travel with special cars, spoofs and limited-edition releases of all sorts. Universal released a fake trailer for 'Jaws 19,' while Uber and Pepsi launched DeLorean rides in London and Google "leaked" plans from a high-tech car from a mysterious 'Project Flux.'
With December and the release of the newest Star Wars film coming soon, there will definitely be plenty more pop culture publicity stunts to come.
Top 60 Publicity Stunt Ideas in November
59
Candy-Dispensing Public Benches
The Kit Kat Bench Rewarded Those Who Rested for 60-seconds
58
People-Powered Billboard Ads
63 'Red Hat' Employees Built the Many Messages on This Billboard
57
Captivating Fan Experiences
A Series of Wasserman Interactive NFL Experiences Hit London
56
Giant Iced Tea Pitchers
Lipton's 'Be More Tea' Festival Broke a World Record for Largest Iced Tea
55
Charitable Coat Donations
Macy's Clothes4Souls Partnership Offers a Buy One, Give One System
54
Social Media Rum Tastings
Appleton Estate Rum Recently Held a Live Twitter Tasting Experience
53
Co-Branded Car Promotions
Uber & BMW are Teaming Up to Provide Free Rides in the New 2016 7 Series
52
Seatbelt-Enabled Taxi WiFi
The Fiat WiFi System is Accessible When Passengers Buckle Up
51
Digital Basketball Exhibits
Sports and Art Collide at Nike's Museum 23 Tokyo Installation
50
Professional Headshot Tours
LinkedIn is Touring the US to Give Profile Advice and Headshots
49
Technology-Testing Events
Microsoft's Device Night Invites People to Eat, Drink & Try New Products
48
High-Speed Taxi Services
Uber is Offering Free Rides in a $1 Million Mclaren P1
47
Anti-Shopping Retail Campaigns
The REI Opt Outside Hashtag Celebrates Being Closed on Black Friday
46
Rainbow-Colored Commuter Slides
Oreo's WONDERFILLED Campaign Brought Colorful Slides to London
45
Chocolate Fortune Booths
Cadbury's 'Joynormous' Chocolate Giveaway Features Freddie Flintoff
44
Cannon Ball Liquor Stunts
Captain Morgan Will Celebrate 'Cannon Blast' with a Human Cannon Ball
43
Television-Themed Retreats
This Monastery Lets Consumers Binge Watch Their Favorite Shows in Peace
42
Friendly Retail Robots
Pepper the Robot Suggests Wine Pairings and Interacts with Shoppers
41
Fan-Powered Racing Events
This Electric Motor Racing Event Lets Fans Give Racers More Power
40
Charitable Cat Deliveries (UPDATE)
UberKITTENS Encourages People to Adopt Kittens After a Playtime
39
Time-Traveling Car Blueprints
A Mysterious Tweet Released Google's Drivable Time Machine Plans
38
Soda-Sponsored Mobile Kitchens
PepsiCo's 'NSPIRE' is a Touring Kitchen on Wheels
37
Unusual Burger Promotions
McDonald’s Japan is Giving Away Free Meals to People with Certain Names
36
High-Stakes Burrito Competitions
This 30-Pound Burrito Comes with a 10% Don Chingon Share
35
Appreciative Oatmeal Campaigns
This Company is Celebrating National Oatmeal Day in a Big Way
34
Mobile Tea Trucks
This David's Tea Shop on Wheels Drives Around and Doles Out Tea Samples
33
Futuristic Taxi Services
Pepsi and Uber Offered DeLorean Rides on Back to the Future Day
32
LEGO Movie Sets
This LEGO Ghostbusters Firehouse Set Has Ghosts Lurking Within
31
Beer-Pouring Typewriters
Czech Beer Brand Staropramen Created the First Type-Controlled Draught
30
Cultural Cat Festivals
Montreal is Hosting Its First-Ever Festival for Cats and Their Owners
29
Galactic Marketing Events
This Campaign Lined Up 500 Stormtroopers on the Great Wall of China
28
Refugee Search Engines
'Google Fortunetelling' Sneakily Raises Awareness About Refugees
27
Wrap-Around Alert Billboards
This Interactive Digital Billboard Warns What's Around the Corner
26
Racy Spy Snack Ads
This Risque Ad Suggests That It's Time for Bond to Take a Break from the Ladies
25
Movie-Themed Newspapers
USA Today Will Bring Back to the Future's Fake News into Reality
24
Floral Confession Booths
Moonpig's Shed-Inspired Installation Promotes Its Flower Delivery Service
23
Indoor Sledding Stunts
North Face's Dog Sledding VR Experience Launches a Real-Life Race
22
Android Army Publicity Stunts
Stormtroopers Overran the Great Wall at This Chinese Star Wars Event
21
Posessed House Pranks
This Paranormal Activity Prank Spooked Unsuspecting Home Hunters
20
Horror Film Video Games
The VR Paranormal Activity Video Game is Being Shown on the Big Screens
19
Headlight-Shining Billboards
This Audi Billboard Spotlights Pedestrians at Night to Keep Them Safe
18
Burger Giveaway Stunts
Burger King Locations in France Swapped Fresh Tomatoes for Free Whoppers
17
Cupcake-Trading Stations
Zappos' Product Giveaways Have People #PayWithACupcake
16
Live Streaming Pizza Screens
This Interactive Billboard Was Connected to a Restaurant's Kitchen
15
Creative Sandwich Competitions
Jarsberg Cheese Called on Fans to Create an 'Impossible' Sandwhich
14
On-Demand Zombie Experiences
This Halloween, Lyft Will Dispatch Zombies to Un-Liven Up Parties
13
Time Travel Rideshares
These Free Delorean Time Machine Rides Celebrate Back to the Future Day
12
Anti-Pollution Insurance Deals
This Car Insurance Campaign Gave Out Fake Tickets to Polluting Cars
11
Futuristic Film Beverages
These 'Pepsi Perfect' Bottles Celebrate Back to the Future II
10
Slum Apartment Stunts
For This Poverty Campaign, a NYC Apartment Rental is Styled Like a Slum
9
Unexpected Airline Adventures
Westjet Provided Customers with an Upgraded Vegas Experience
8
Serial Vodka Campaigns
Smirnoff's 'Exclusively for Everybody' Ads Have a Serial Progression
7
Eye-Shutting Billboards
This Car Insurance Ad Shuts Its Eyes to Mimic a Good Night's Sleep
6
Automotive Trunk Theaters
The 'Mini Teater' Provides Entertainment from the Trunk of a Car
5
Car-Powered Cafes
The 'Toyota Barista' Stunt Demonstrates How Much Energy Brakes Generate
4
Stuntperson Candy Campaigns
This Cadbury Campaign Searches for the Next Milk Tray Man (or Woman)
3
Vacation-Rewarding Campaigns
Expedia Rewards Vacation-Deprived Canadians with Well-Deserved Trips
2
Time-Traveling Car Promotions
Ford Building a DeLorean-Like Flux Capacitor in Focus & Fiestas
1
Shark Saga Spoofs
This Trailer for 'Jaws 19' Celebrates the Back to the Future 30th Anniversary
Related Ideas
Mixologist-Crafted Beverage Creations
PepsiCo will Host a 'DRIPS by Pepsi' Pop-Up in New York
High-Profile Brand Launch Events
NO CAP! Soda Pop is Launching with Marshmello on August 4th
Multisensory French Fry Pop-Ups
The McCain Happy Frydays Café Shares an Over-the-Top Menu
Halloween-Inspired Pretzel Campaigns
Snyder’s of Hanover Debuts the 'Pretzelface' Campaign
Olympics-Inspired QSR Menus
The Mcdonald's France Global Menu Celebrates Paris 2024
Generative AI Candy Campaigns
The Starburst 'Different Every Time' Campaign is Interactive
College-Targeted Food Pop-Ups
Uber Hosts 'The One Shop' Across University Campuses
Sober October Campaigns
Kit NA Brewing Launched 'Under Your Own Influence Sober October'
Festive French Fry Events
McCain is Opening the Doors to the World’s First French Fry House
Beer-Pouring Party Billboards
JUBEL Made a Billboard That Pours Pints Invites People in to Party
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
Thematic Super-Villain-Inspired Makeup Campaigns
NYX Launches the 'Who Stole Halloween?' Campaign
Emotional Poeticized Motorsport Campaigns
Honda Debuts the 'Unstoppable Dreams' Campaign
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Digital-First Scavenger Hunts
Chipotle Opts for Influencer Marketing for its Giveaway Promotion
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
Promotional Game-Themed Collabs
Microsoft Partnered with Several CPG Brands to Offer Xbox Rewards
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Star-Studded Tech Campaigns
Jewellery Pros and Music Talent Promote the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Gamer-Centric Fast Food Campaigns
Burger King's Gaming Campaign to Rewards “Burger-to-King” Goals
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns
Burger King Shows Real Burger Sizes with Real Size Campaigns
Video Game-Themed Noodle Promotions
The Yoshinoya Operation Full Stomach Campaign Stars Kirby
Seasonal Phone Booth Activations
Spotify's Q4 is Calling Urges Brands to Start Holiday Advertising
Humorous Automotive Campaigns
Hyundai’s 'Where Have You Been?' Ad Merges Nostalgia and Branding
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
Box-Office-Themed Travel Pop-Ups
Intrepid x TIFF Host an Experiential Travel Activation
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Heated QSR Anniversary Campaigns
Burger King Brazil Celebrates Milestone with a New Campaign
Entertainment Industry Expansions
Starbucks Enters the Entertainment Industry as Starbucks Studio
Ice Cream Sandwich Pop-Ups
Chips Ahoy! Pop-Up to Serve Free Ice Cream in NYC
Branded QSR Advent Calendars
The Burger King BK Advent Calendar is Packed with Surprises
Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads
This New McDonald’s Campaign Encourages Eating at Home
Taco-Celebrating Promotional Campaigns
Taco Cabana Marks National Taco Day on October 1, 2024
Video Game-Based Prize Packages
This KRAFT Mac & Cheese x Nintendo Collab Boasts Game Elements
Cross-Category Refreshment Campaigns
Sprite and Pringles Hot Have Teamed Up for a New Campaign
Festive Advent Campaigns
Cadbury's 24 Out-of-Home Ads Represent the Countdown to Christmas
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Adventurous Roadtrip Retail Campaigns
The Pilot Flying J 'See You Out Here' Campaign is Relatable
Local Restaurant Campaigns
PEPSI X Kelly Rowland Present the Local Eats Better With Pepsi Program
Hands-Free Driving Campaigns
Ford UK's Social Campaign Shares Merch for the "Passenger Princess"
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Epic Rapper-Backed Soda Campaigns
PEPSI Launched its 'Make Your Gameday Epic' Campaign
Dog-Focused QSR Campaigns
The Hot Dog on a Stick Dog Days of Summer Campaign Treats Pooches
College-Inspired Haircare Pop-Ups
Monday Haircare Hosted an Interactive Pink Truck
QSR Summer Pop-Ups
McDonald's Mexico Launched a Summer-Themed Activation in Mexico
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Fall-Ready Denim Campaigns
Pacsun Launched Its Interactive Better in Baggy Denim Campaign
Mystery-Style Holiday Ads
Waitrose Adds Mystery to the Festive Season with ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Ad
Nostalgic Snack Ranges
Munchies Returns to Canada After a 20-Year Hiatus
Mental Health Snack Initiatives
Pringles Relaunched a QR Design for Exclusive Movember Tubes
Creator-Friendly Initiatives
Patreon Lights Up Times Square with Creator-Centric Billboard
Customer-Driven Holiday Campaigns
Amazon's Holiday Campaign is Inspired by 5-Star Reviews
Kindness-Promoting Beverage Campaigns
Culture Pop Soda Partners with Point Guard Derrick White
Celebratory Musical Snack Campaigns
This Butterkist Wicked Promotion Celebrates the Upcoming Movie
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Extraterrestrial Influencer Campaigns
MoonPie's Alien Acquisition Shares Ads for Extraterrestrials
Fashion Lifestyle Pop-Up Events
Sundae School Hosts Their First Pop-Up in London
Post-Partum Meal QSR Campaigns
Burger King Captures a Special Moment with Bundles of Joy Campaign
On-Demand Bubbly Water Campaigns
"Press for Bubly" Keeps Non-Drinkers Committed to Dry January
Complimentary Burger QSR Campaigns
Carl's Jr. Free Burger Day Will Reward Diners for One Day Only
QSR Burger Chain Campaigns
Burger King Brazil Unveils the Whopper Island Rebranding
Chain Restaurant Food Festivals
Chain is the Worlds First Gourmet Chain Food Festival
Movie-Themed Fast-Food Campaigns
White Castle Commemorates 'Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle'
Late-Night Chicken Shop Pop-Ups
Bird's Eye Launched a New Range with an Exclusive Experience
Consumer-Driven QSR Burger Contests
The Burger King Million Dollar Whopper Contest is On Now
Pop Culture-Inspired Rentals
Airbnb Unveils the New 'Icons' Experiences for Short-Term Guests
Co-Branded Drink Activations
The Cawston Press Frozen Fruit Waters Mobile Celebrates Inside Out 2
Donut Inspired Ad Campaigns
Dunkin' Donuts New Ad Campaign is Called Dunkin'Terns
Anti-Breakup Festive Campaigns
Smirnoff and Lance Bass Debut 'Red, White & Merry' Love Campaign
Scannable Tattoo Campaigns
Burger King Korea's Whopper Tattoo Promoted an Upgraded Whopper
Pumpkin-Inspired Community-Themed Campaigns
Danone North America Debuts the Tri Pumpkin Campaign
Chicken-Centered Campaigns
KFC Released a Campaign Called 'Believe in Chicken'
Tongue-In-Cheek Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Jokes at Coca-Cola in It's Tastes Better Campaign
Collaboration Soda Dessert Promotions
Baskin-Robbins and Pepsi are Offering Free Floats for a Year
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Social-First Car Campaigns
Škoda's Reddit Car Share Amplified the Voices of Passionate Fans
Streaming Platform Dining Experiences
KTV's U Presents a TV Dinner Pop-Up Event
Cookie-Twisting Commercials
The OREO Super Bowl 2024 Spot Revisits Pivotal Moments in History
Time Capsule-Style Branding Campigns
Coors Light & Patrick Mahomes Present a Unique Project
Play-Inspired Global Holiday Campaigns
Toys"R"Us Has Introduced a New Global Holiday, Play Day
Late-Night QSR Vehicles
The Student Tour Campaign Shortens the Trip from the Club to Taco Bell
Cross-Cuisine QSR Bento Boxes
The McDonald’s Makunouchi Bento Was Debuted for April Fool's Day
Video Game Refreshment Campaigns
The Suntory x Super Mario Campaign is Playful
Football-Themed Pizza Promotions
Little Caesars & NFL Debut HOT-N-READY Giveaways & Getaways
Complimentary Fries Campaign
McDonald's Free Fries Friday Celebrates French Fry Day
Burger-Inspired Back-To-School Campaigns
Trill Burgers & LRG Clothing Debut a Line of Activations
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Global Holiday Campaigns
David Beckham Stars in SharkNinja's 'Ninja the Holidays' Campaign
Creatively Sponsored Art Events
Sharpie is Sponsoring the Upcoming Art Battle Event in Los Angeles
Kindness-Promoting Marketing Campaigns
Once Upon a Coconut Launches 1 Million Acts of Kindness
Beef-Centered Thanksgiving Menus
Pre Brands' Flip the Bird Challenges Seasonal Dining Traditions
Emergency Road Trip Kits
Welch's Fruitside Assistance Makes Holiday Travels More Enjoyable
Chicken Wing Retailer Promotions
These 7-Eleven National Chicken Wing Day Promotions are Tasty
Cheeky Financial Stress-Alleviating Campaigns
HOPWTR Has Debuted a Creative Promotional Campaign
Seasonal Halloween Marketing Promotions
Welch's Fruit Snacks Unveils its MVP Goals for Halloween
Complimentary Donut QSR Promotions
Krispy Kreme and McDonald's Announced a New Promotion
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
Movie-Inspired Halloween Menus
Burger King Unveils the Haunting Addams Family-Inspired Menu
One-Cent Soda Promotions
The Wendy's Penny Pops Promotion Offers Almost Free Refreshments
Cheeky Series Star Campaigns
MTN DEW Debuts a New Superbowl Ad with Aubrey Plaza
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Munchies-Themed Holiday Promotions
Cheba Hut Nugsgiving Celebrates the Brand's Sandwiches
Frozen Pizza-Centered Campaigns
Dr. Oetker Debuts the Frozen Pizza Publicist Campaign
First-Taste Burger Boxes
McSpicy x Frank's RedHot Released "the Hottest Drop"
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Taco-Based Reward Promotions
Taco John’s Marked National Taco Day This Year
Back-To-School Sporty Campaigns
JD's Start Fresh Campaign Celebrates Today's Youth Culture
Snacking Mishap Campaigns
The Other Hand by Cheetos Shows Snackers Who Refuse to Put the Bag Down
Dynamic Auto Marketing Campaigns
Hyundai Promotes Its Electrical Vehicle Line-up
Rewritten Christmas Song Ads
Burger King UK's Hijacking Christmas Will Guide You to the Drive Thru
Burger Month Rewards Programs
Wayback Burgers Commemorates National Hamburger Month
Dressing-Celebrating Pizza Promotions
Jet's Pizza is Hosting RanchFest for National Ranch Day
Post-Football Holidays
Drumstick is Petitioning for #DrumstickMonday After the Big Game
Seasonal Street Food-Inspired Menus
Taco Cabana Street Food Fest Features Ample Food and Drink
Voting-Encouraging Ice Cream Promotions
Ben & Jerry's Ran the Red Pencils for Pints Initative
Disaster Relief-Supporting Pr Initiatives
Publicity for Good Supports Hurricane Helene Relief
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Nickel-Priced Hotdog Promotions
This Nathan’s Famous Promotion Celebrates National Hot Dog Day
branded Cheeseburger-celebrating initiatives
Wayback Burgers celebrated National Cheeseburger Day
Individual Nugget QSR Campaigns
The McDonald's Chicken McNuggets of Love Promotion is Celebratory
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Festival Season Snack Campaigns
KP Snacks and Live Nation Partnered for a New Popchips Campaign
Uninterrupted Pizza Celebrations
Hormel Pepperoni Fans Can Request "PTO" on Pepperoni Pizza Day
Empowering Consumer-Centric Campaigns
Which? Launches a Festive Campaign to Empower Shoppers
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Christmasy Convenience Retailer Promotions
The 7-Eleven Holiday Deals are Here for 2023
Streaming Music Pack Promotions
Rustlers Debuts a New Boost Your Burger Initiative with Spotify
Parent-Rewarding Burger Promotions
This Wayback Burgers Promotion Rewards September Baby Parents
Celebratory Pizza Promotions
Little Caesars Summer of Hot-N-Ready Giveaways & Getaways is Tasty
Name-Based Sandwich Campaigns
The Firehouse Subs Name Of The Day Promotion Rewards Customers
Otherworldly Sandwich Delivery Promotions
Subway Ultimate Footlong Offering Marks World UFO Day
New York-Centric Campaigns
Bergdorf Goodman’s ‘Toast of the Town’ Campaign Celebrates New York
New Year Sandwich Promotions
This Urban Eat On-Pack Promo Offers Hundreds of Prizes Up for Grabs
Ardent Entertainment Campaigns
Steve Harvey Narrates the New Abu Dhabi Calendar Campaign
Butter Aviation Promotions
Utterly Butterly Reignites its On-Pack Promotion with AeroSuperBatics
Festive Chip Campaigns
KETTLE Chips' Christmas Campaign Features 24 Days of Prizes