PR Flashback
I am sometimes asked how one can “go viral”. The answer is that you cannot control this.
The public, media, and social media communities latch on to certain stories and initiatives, and sometimes it’s expected, while often it’s a surprise. You can design creative and surprising angles and task your PR pro with spreading the word, but from there, it’s up to the digital and media communities as to what grabs their attention.
I was reminded of a fun media outreach initiative recently and thought I would share how creative and unexpected stories can generate significant attention when done so with strategy and enthusiasm.
In 2019, I led the media relations for a timely real estate marketing incentive concept by Woodbridge Homes. To promote the launch of their KIRA homes, the BC developer was offering home purchasers a year of free avocado toast, in addition to other incentives. This played off the much-discussed millennials’ love of avocado toast and criticism from some for the demographic’s spending on small but expensive luxuries. What started as a playful local promotion quickly went viral—featured in Business Insider, PEOPLE Magazine, FOX News, Eater, Apartment Therapy, VICE, and a variety of additional media outlets across Canada, the United States, and beyond. The campaign generated global buzz and drew attention to the homes, in turn driving sales.
This demonstrates the power of bold, culturally relevant storytelling when executing PR, even if it means poking fun at a timely topic. It wasn’t about the toast. It was about the developer using avocado toast as an incentive, and the debate and discussion about how unexpected this was.
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