Ever wanted to kick back in a pool float shaped like a bread bowl? Panera Bread recently made that dream a reality, but only for a limited time.

To celebrate its loyal summertime soup-lovers, Panera released a limited-edition “Swim Soup” collection of soup-themed swimwear and, yes, a float shaped like its famous bread soup bowls. The merch sold out quickly, but it contributed to ongoing engagement and conversation on social media.

It's what’s known as a brand stunt, when a company undertakes a marketing campaign in order to generate attention and buzz. But it’s not limited to just high-profile brand names.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Sara Lavenduski, ASI Media’s executive editor of digital content, speaks with Margo Kahnrose, chief marketing officer of commerce intelligence platform Skai, about the marketing value of brand stunts, which often include branded merchandise.

Podcast Chapters (only available on desktop)
1:11 What is a brand stunt?
2:15 What’s the core strategy at play?
5:08 The “short-lived” nature of a stunt
9:00 What a brand needs to determine beforehand
13:10 Recent successes and flops
19:07 How are stunts evolving?

They pose an opportunity for end-buyers because they don’t need to be a household name to pull one. “Cachet can actually work against a brand in a stunt,” says Kahnrose. “You have so much to lose. With an established brand, it’s hard to do something unexpected and get away with it. A niche brand has more room to play around.”

Kahnrose adds, though, that there needs to be clear objectives established beforehand, driven by data, and that caution is taken to avoid offending people. Even a smaller brand can get a bad reputation on social if the tweets and posts start to pile up.

“Customers are very quick to drop a brand if they find them to be insensitive,” she says. “There are a lot of blurred lines today between personal and social issues and consumerism and where we spend our money.”

Watch on YouTube