The Best & Worst PR stunts

[Ian]

TBH, there's no such thing as a bad public relations (PR) stunt. Take for example the terrible BO one recently at Thorpe. Even though it was pretty desperate, it made the Sun newspaper and Radio 1's newsbeat.

I'm interested to read what you think are the best and worst theme park PR stunts ever.

 

[tks]

Alton Towers encouraging people to skip work. When the ASA get on your case you know it's good advertising!

(Good PR btw)

 

[Ian]

Speaking of Alton Towers, the Rita Drag Queen one was annoying - it was everywhere!

Some of the best ones involve nudity imo.

 

[Rush]

Going back to Thorpe, their infamous video for their summer event was pretty outrageous. I don't think it attracted that much attention anyway apart from the enthusaists.

 

[andrus]

TBH, there's no such thing as a bad public relations (PR) stunt. Take for example the terrible BO one recently at Thorpe. Even though it was pretty desperate, it made the Sun newspaper and Radio 1's newsbeat.

I'm not from the UK but went to thorpe park a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea that the "no bo" signs were for real! We thought it was some fun gimmick and actually laughed quite good when we saw them, I even took some photos of it! ^^ But I had no idea they were for real and that you actually are prohibited from raising your arms during a ride...

 

[Anonymous]

One of the best.

Hershey's Nantimi viral for Fahrenheit was also pretty ****ing brilliant.

 

[Inverse]

nudity is the best seller by far. Page 3 girls on stealth was cool.

I think credit for effort has to go to PBB and Jordans for the formula 1 car stunt on the Big One.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

http://www.funnyhub.com/pictures/pages/ ... aster.html

There's another one.. Haha. I couldn't imagine if it was like, Son of Beast that people rode naked. Their boobs would fall off.

 

[marc]

I wonder how many people went on Nemesis after and sniffed the seats lol.

 

[nealbie]

O K

 

[Emmett]

I remember that one with the Jordan car on PMBO, that was pretty cool.

Walibi Belgium always seems to be one to do wacky PR stunts with their 'Day for Redheads' and their blood drive day which was celebrating 10 years of Vampire.

The latest Chessington one is pretty bad involving the hypnotherapist when they are really just trying to cover up the power outage incident.

 

[Ormerod]

I think a day for murderers, chavs and rapists would work. Once a year would clear the park for the rest of the season! Leaving only enthusiasts and The Queen.

 

[gavin]

Worst: Lotte World's free entry every Sunday to try and gain good publicity after the death on Atlantis Adventure.

The first day they tried it, tens of thousands showed up at the gates, resulting in people being crushed and over a dozen ending up in hospital. The park was closed for a week afterwards.

Epic fail!

 

[caffeine_demon]

^One from the "even I could tell that would happen" file...

 

[marc]

Having Jean-Claude Van Damme open Vertigo that was already a year late and was closed about 3 weeks after.

 

[KristofWB]

Having Jean-Claude Van Damme open Vertigo that was already a year late and was closed about 3 weeks after.

Actually, it already broke down while JCVD just left the ride.

However, Day of the Red-Heads and the blood drive was not the only 'wacky' PR-sunt they had.

I remember a Halloween-stunt from the park where viewers from a Belgian music-channel could win a night in 'Hotel Fant'ôme' at Walibi Belgium: the haunted walk-through for 2006. What they didn't know, was that they would be haunted by the actors from the ride at the middle of the night.

The Valentine PR stunt for Aqualibi was also pretty good, as couples could win free entrance by showing the most romantic, cute or erotic kiss in front of the orange kangaroo, the mascot of the park.

And some kind of PR-stunt for the gay-people in Belgium from Walibi Belgium after they almost got sued by the GayLeague for discrimination for gay people: invite them again 3 years later for a gay orgy-like poolparty in Aqualibi.

 

[KristofWB]

After having a 'Day of the Red Heads', to put Calamity Mine in the picture and raising blood for Vampire, Walibi has found a new wacky PR stunt again!

For October, they will celebrate 'Dalton Terror', the Intamin Free Fall in Walibi Belgium. The ride is themed after the Dalton brothers from the Lucky Luke comic books. Dalton Terror is, with its 252.6 ft and a speed of 84 mph, it's the highest and fastest ride in Belgium.

As looking for a crazy PR stunt to do this, Walibi Belgium is inviting all the quadruplets born in Belgium on October 17th!

I'm so curious if they will succeed in this job!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZhoRrDUnE0[/youtube]

 

[jokerman]

How many quadruplets can there have possibly been born on that exact date in one small country?

 

[Rush]

I think he's saying that they're inviting quadruplets who were born in Belgium, to the park on October 17th.

That did confuse me the first time but it makes more sense.

 

[KristofWB]

And what I never expected, Walibi Belgium has already found 3 quadruplets that will be present on October 17th...8, 13 and 33 years old. But they are still hoping for more!

I'm pretty curious for the pictures this weekend. So again, another crazy PR stunt from Walibi Belgium.