Crowds really do create the feel good factor!

Take advantage of the feel good factor when it comes to promotions since this can really boost your business. Promotions that leave a smile on a visitor’s face, and makes them feel good immediately creates a better long term impression of your brand, especially when the world around seems dark, chaotic and worrying.

All it takes is a little thought to create promotions that make people stop, smile and relax for a few minutes. It might be a sudden flash mob bursting into song within a railway station or public square, or the sight of a group of costumed characters taking over an underground station.

We worked with Heart UK’s PR agency on a stunt in which a group of people dressed in massive yellow chubby suits representing cholesterol descended the Charing Cross escalators. Tucked among them were members of a special rent a crowd group adding to the excitement by shouting out and pointing, helping to catch the attention of all passers by. People stopped and stared, smiled and took photographs.

Anything that makes people stop, look and watch – and even join in – is guaranteed to gain publicity. Another PR stunt we got involved in was held in Leicester Square, London where an online retailer was holding a special event for its top sales staff. As the attendees arrived at the venue, they were greeted by a red carpet experience complete with ‘paparazzi photographers’ snapping away. Naturally everyone passing by stopped to take a look, and soon joined in clapping, cheering and taking photographs themselves, which quickly appeared on countless social media sites.

Evidence for the importance of the feel good factor when it comes to successful promotions is easy to find. Perhaps the most well known examples are those of Coca-Cola and John Lewis. Even though the cheerful, upbeat, friendly, memorable Coca-Cola promotion, I’d like to buy the world a coke, is now several decades old, it still remains popular and immediately raises a smile by anyone who hears it. Equally memorable is the John Lewis Man on the Moon advert in which a little girl spots a lonely old man on the moon through a telescope and uses helium balloons to send him a present. It evokes an instant feel good factor, and was widely distributed.

All kinds of promotions can arose that feel good emotion. By linking with a charity when organising a promotion, businesses immediately benefit. People feel better and are more inclined to buy your products or support your service because they feel that they are doing something good and helping a charity.

Holding events and promotions out of doors is another way of encouraging that feel good factor. When people are out of doors in the fresh air, seeing green spaces and flowers around them they tend to feel happier. If it’s sunny all the better, since sunshine makes you feel cheerful and healthier. It also means that people become more willing to stand around, or even join in active promotions like dancing, music or sports. When you see people taking part, you feel as though you want to do it yourself, and take a few minutes to relax and participate.

Hire a large group of people for your PR Stunt

So why not take advantage of that feel good factor in your marketing strategy? Be creative, have some fun and make your brand memorable with stunts, rentacrowds and promotions. The impact will be much greater than you can ever expect, given the propensity of people to post fun scenes and activities on social media.