The Valentine's edition: our favourite love themed PR campaigns

As it's Valentine's Day I thought we'd take a look at the best PR campaigns from the last year which have centred around the theme of love, and not always in the romantic sense… 

Hello, My Name is Vladimir 

Thanks to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics the eyes of the world have been turned toward Russia and in particular, their stance on gay rights. 

On 4th February Brew Dog released their latest beer Hello, My Name is Vladimir, a double IPA brewed with Limonnik berries and some of the most colourful branding ever to bless a beer bottle. 

They also published the following statement on their website: 

"The sick, twisted legislation brought about in Russia that prevents people from living their true lives is something we didn't want to just sit back and not have an opinion on. Our core beliefs are freedom of expression, freedom of speech and a dogged (no pun intended) passion for doing what we love. Thus, we are donating 50% of the profits from this beer to charitable organisations that support like minded individuals wishing to express themselves freely without prejudice." 

Brilliant campaign Brew Dog! Love it! 

A man and his pet

Did you know that Clydesdale horses have been used for promotions by the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company since the end of the Prohibition in 1933? 

Budweiser have continued this tradition and have been using the horse drawn carts in many of their current advertising campaigns and social media, even giving people the chance to name the foal.

 Move over Black Beauty, this tale of a man and his horse could bring a tear to a glass eye… 

As sweet as their ice-cream…

...but still tastefully done (no pun intended). Cornetto recently created a collection of four short films worthy of the silver screen on the theme of teenage love. The films featured up-and-coming teen actors from around the world and were used across various markets around the world including the UK, China, Spain, Brazil, Australia and many more. 

Benjamin Curtis, Senior Brand Development Manager for Cornetto said "We wanted to do something different that really engages our fans with content that is close to their heart," which is something I think all brands should strive to do.

You'll be able to find the other three films on YouTube under the title Cornetto Cupidity but I've put my favourite one below.

Everyone loves Beyonce, don't they? 

A restaurant in Brooklyn, New York must have thought the same thing when they created their Valentine's menu. 

Indeed, in mid-December Beyonce shocked the music industry by releasing her fifth album along with 17 videos without any warning but managing to sell 1.3 million after just 17 days - so it certainly would seem the world loves her.  

And would you believe it, the restaurant is fully booked for Valentine's Day.

How to deal with a bride-zilla 

Ok, this isn't a campaign but I thought it was very funny and the perfect way to respond to a potential crisis.

Former glamour model Katie Price, a.k.a Jordan, chose a Sandals Bahamian resort for the location of her third wedding. 

After being made aware of her fame in the UK when she arrived at the resort, the Sandals staff recommended that the couple marry on a private beach away from the public and the paparazzi who may be waiting for the perfect opportunity to take some snaps of the ceremony. 

However, the couple refused to take their advice and pictures of their ceremony appeared in the UK national media. One unfortunately showing the consequences of having a dress which is a little too small for you. 

Katie then went to the press claiming that the resort had ruined her wedding, demanding a refund. 

Sandals responded with an open letter stating "[We] are disappointed that Ms Price was not happy with her stay and as a gesture of goodwill are willing to offer a refund on condition that she does not choose our resorts for any future weddings or stays." 

What a hilarious response that gained them nationwide media coverage in the UK. You can read the full response here.

If you'd like to see how the brand newsroom can help you with your campaign and PR strategy then check out our latest white paper here.