What a Spectacle!
- Nov 13, 2016
- 2 min read
If you use Snapchat, you are part of a community that collectively watches 6 billion videos daily. This community is huge, and helps allow Snapchat to grow and expand towards their transformation into a new company.
Snapchat recently changed to Snap Inc., initiating their course toward being a camera company, not just an app, which lead to the development of Spectacles: glasses with cameras that interact with Snapchat.
There was a sense of mystery around these “Spectacles”, which Snapchat initially announced on their website.
Then came the Snapbot.
Snapchat placed a vending machine (almost out of thin air)- dubbed the “Snapbot” at Venice Beach, California, on November 10th, 2016.
Advice from authors of Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, David Wilcox and Bryan H. Reber, says that this is exactly the technique that should be used at PR Stunt events.
In every city, there are multiple “ho-hum” events that compete for media attention and attendance, that it urges you to come up with something “different” that creates buzz and interest.”
A giant yellow vending machine with face like features is definitely something different.
Publicity stunts are something that helps release a product. According to the authors of Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, David Wilcox and Bryan H. Reber,:
Promotional events are planned primarily for the purpose to launch new products, increase organizational visibility, make friends and raise money for a charitable causes.
There are many ways that promotional events are used to help organizations and companies, but the main purpose for it is to get the word out about the product and the organization, and especially in a way that will be popular and appeal to consumers.
Want a pair of Spectacles? That’s another appeal of the stunt- there is only one Snapbot (as of right now) that will pop up in different cities. The appeal is that you can only buy Spectacles from the Snapbot (for the small fee of $130).
Other ways that a publicity event can be advertised is by inviting celebrities to attend. According to Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, by David Wilcox and Bryan H. Reber,
One of the ways to get more attention to an event is to advertise a celebrity at your event. It’s known that having a celebrity at the event will increase attendance especially by using a well known celebrity who is a television or film personality. You have to make sure that the celebrity who will be at the fits with the product or situation that you are advertising.
When thinking about having a celebrity or “personality” at your event, you have to think about how they can help your event and product, they can be a major budget item, however depending on the event the celebrity may reduce or waive the appearance fee. The celebrity will often times endorse the product or cause before, and after the event, just to create more buzz and attention to the product or cause. Having a celebrity or “personality” at your event will definitely increase the media attention at the event.
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