As the year comes to a close, we’ve taken a look back through some of 2023’s biggest and most conversation-worthy PR/marketing moments, and have rounded up a few of our favorites. Here’s why they’re a great example as we continue to up the ante…
Rihanna’s Fenty Super Bowl Touchup
As a highly established musician and now a makeup mogul, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty makeup line is one of the highest-grossing lines in the world. With a jaw-dropping Super Bowl halftime performance, including a subtle pregnancy announcement, masterful stage production and some of her most beloved songs, Rihanna embraced the moment. With more than 115 million people watching worldwide, she stopped, handed off her mic, and grabbed her powder compact as she touched up her slightly sweaty glow whilst cleverly using 1-2 seconds of advertising time. Despite everyone already knowing who she is and what her brand is, Rihanna cleverly put to use the efficiency of her product while simultaneously doing so on one of the world’s biggest stages.
Courtesy of EPA Images
Snoop Dogg’s Unexpected ‘Smoke’ Announcement
A more recent example of a clever PR/marketing moment was actually just last week; notorious cannabis enthusiast Snoop Dogg released a statement that shocked the modern world, announcing he had ‘given up smoke.’ At first, many were caught off guard and assumed that Snoop had decided to do this as a result of health issues from smoking for decades; however, shortly thereafter, it was announced that he had entered into a collaboration with Solo Stove, a smokeless fire pit brand. Despite only lasting a few days, this announcement has since been met with an exponential increase in Solo Stove’s brand awareness as well as much relief, as the Snoop Dogg that everyone knows and loves isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Fashion & Beauty’s Foray into 3D Advertising
With fashion and beauty brands constantly outdoing one another and elevating the game with over-the-top creative campaigns, there are a couple of moments this year that caught industry attention.
Jacquemus
The fashion giant seemingly always makes headlines for coming up with new ways to get people talking. Despite being predominantly known for their micro handbags, in April, the team made it abundantly clear that they were foraying into the world of oversized bags - by taking over the streets of Paris with purses on wheels! Despite this being a 3D rendering, this campaign got lots of attention, garnering excitement for Jacquemus’ step into a new conversation of handbags.
Maybelline
Similar to Jacquemus, makeup conglomerate Maybelline launched a comparable campaign, utilizing public spaces to spread awareness. In London, the Maybelline team wisely took advantage of the advertising space on public transportation, with a mascara wand coming to life out of the ad, and with the Tube’s front car having eyelashes stuck on to mimic the application of mascara. Londoners weren’t the only ones lucky enough to be treated to this brilliant use of advertising genius as Maybelline’s team posted all over social media to ensure global awareness.
With the PR/marketing game constantly evolving, and as we continue to challenge our creativity, it’s always enjoyable to step back and acknowledge those who have done a brilliant job and take inspiration from them for a future concept. Here’s to 2024 and all of the exciting campaigns on the horizon!
