10 Outlandish Publicity Stunts by Leading Food Companies

Celebrities have always found ways to grab attention through wild antics, but nowadays, even big corporations are willing to take bold steps to promote their products. One such example is IHOP’s recent transformation into IHOb, creating buzz and selling burgers. Here, we highlight 10 of the most bizarre marketing tactics used to push mass-produced food items.

1. COLONEL SANDERS RAPPELS DOWN A SKYSCRAPER

It’s hard to picture KFC’s iconic Colonel Sanders as anything other than a spokesperson for fried chicken. However, in 2011, a person dressed as the Colonel scaled Chicago's River Bend building while strapped into a harness. Not only did he rappel down the 40-story skyscraper, but he also handed out $5 meals to window washers on the way down. What was KFC’s rationale for such a daring stunt? They aimed to prove their commitment to taking lunchtime to ‘new heights.’

2. THE WORLD'S LARGEST FROZEN POPSICLE

Being the biggest doesn’t always translate to the best. In 2005, Snapple aimed to create the world’s largest popsicle to promote their new frozen drink line. The plan was to showcase a 25-foot, 17.5-ton frozen Snapple juice popsicle in Union Square, New York City. Unfortunately, warmer-than-expected weather caused the massive treat to melt at an alarming rate, flooding the streets with sticky syrup. With New York already notorious for its traffic jams and tourist crowds, Snapple became the day’s public enemy number one.

3. COFFEE CUPS ON CAR ROOFS = FREE GIFT CARDS

In 2005, Starbucks got into the holiday spirit by launching a unique campaign in which brand ambassadors drove around with large Starbucks cups attached to the roofs of their cars. If someone stopped the ambassador to point out the cup, they’d be rewarded with a $5 Starbucks gift card. The message? Doing a good deed really does have its rewards!

4. MESSAGE IN A SEALED BOTTLE

Picture yourself strolling along the beach when you spot a sealed bottle from Guinness. But instead of beer, you find a message from King Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. This peculiar event took place in 1959 along North America's Atlantic coastline. To raise brand awareness, Guinness released 150,000 sealed bottles into the ocean. Inside each bottle was a scroll from Neptune, celebrating the House of Guinness’s Bi-Centenary, along with instructions on how to turn the bottle into a table lamp. No free beer was included (unfortunately!), but a crafty project was on the horizon for many.

5. EAU DE FLAME-BROILED BURGER

Who can resist the mouthwatering aroma of flame-broiled burgers? Apparently, most people—at least when the smell comes in the form of a body spray. Burger King's 2008 campaign introduced the strange concept of a meat-scented cologne, FLAME by BK, marketed as the 'scent of seduction.' While a few New York City stores actually sold the cologne, the whole stunt was a cheeky attempt to get a laugh from the 18- to 35-year-old male demographic.

6. HERE COMES THE SUNSHINE

In January 2012, London commuters were greeted by an unexpected burst of sunlight. Tropicana teamed up with the art collective Greyworld to create a synthetic sun as part of their 'Brighter Morning' campaign. This artificial sun, composed of over 60,000 light bulbs, appeared above Trafalgar Square at 6:51 a.m. on a frosty morning and set at 7:33 p.m. To further promote the event, Tropicana encouraged Londoners to relax under the glow with branded sunglasses, deck chairs, and blankets.

7. AIRPORT STEAK DELIVERY

8. PURCHASING THE LIBERTY BELL

9. CREATING THE WORLD'S LARGEST MAN-MADE FIRE

In 2011, El Pollo Loco, a Costa Mesa-based chain, issued press releases announcing plans to create the world’s largest man-made fire. Why a fire? The fast-food chain aimed to promote their new flame-grilled chicken. Spectators were stunned to realize that the event was actually a commercial shoot for the brand. While the company claims they did attempt to break the record, many reports have labeled the whole stunt as a hoax. A piece of advice for brands: If you’re going to execute a publicity stunt and film a commercial at the same time, make sure to announce it beforehand.

10. KFC TAKES TO SPACE

KFC has built a reputation for outlandish publicity stunts. In 2006, the company created a giant 87,500-square-foot logo at Area 51 in Rachel, Nevada, hoping to be the first brand visible from space. The location was no accident—it was right next to 'The World’s Only Extraterrestrial Highway.'

'If extraterrestrials exist, KFC wants to be their restaurant of choice,' said Gregg Dedrick, former president of KFC Corp. KFC’s ambitions aren’t just grounded on Earth—they have their sights set on the entire universe to spread their Original Recipe.