Hails of the Year 2022

It has been an incredible year for PR stunts, stories and campaigns.

So, this week we’re taking a look back across the whole of 2022 and celebrating the very best by naming our favourite ‘Hails’ of the year. And, boy, have there been some corkers….

JANUARY

Snorers offered ‘dream’ job by bed brand

A new job opportunity is offering serial snorers cash for their snoring.

Brazen client Silentnight announced a search for five snorers to test their sleep products in 2022 and give feedback – with a £300 payday in return for their efforts plus a sleep bundle worth up to £700.

Those chosen will be gifted items from the 2022 range – including a king-size mattress, a pair of innovative Anti-Snore pillows (designed to encourage improved breathing), and a ‘So Snug’ 13.5 tog winter duvet – essentially being paid for their thoughts on them.

Cue a dormitory’s worth of fabulous national coverage.

February

Love really isn’t blind

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, Tesco launched a range of cards for people living with sight loss.

The supermarket giant worked with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to create the selection of braille Valentine’s cards.

With more than two million people living with sight loss in the UK, the accessible cards, which cost from £1.50, aim to bring love to life in a more inclusive way.

The cards feature dedications to ‘My Husband’, and ‘My Wife’, and declarations of love with ‘Be Mine?’.

Great initiative and racks of coverage to boot!

March

Greene King pledges more women’s sport on pub TVs

Brazen client Greene King announced it would show more women’s sport in its pubs until the end of the season.

The pub chain pledged to broadcast televised games shown across Sky and the BBC throughout Summer as part of its International Women’s Day commitment.

Greene King said it wanted pubs to play a role in generating support for women’s football and raising more awareness.

The pub giant is also working with international footballers Alex Greenwood and Lauren James to raise awareness of women’s sports fixtures.

Great initiative and widespread media coverage as a result!

April

Barbie launches Queen Doll for Jubilee

Barbie has always been a queen to many but now she is to become real royalty, after a Queen Elizabeth II Barbie doll was announced in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.

The Queen doll sported an ivory gown, an adorned blue riband and a tiara as inspired by one of the monarch’s most iconic outfits.

The limited-edition Barbie doll is made as a part of the toy brand’s Tributes Collection, which honours famous and historical figures. It will be complete with a tiara based on Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara – famously worn by The Queen on her wedding to Prince Philip – and miniature medallions inspired by the Royal Family Orders.

May

Farmhouse Inns becomes Ma’amhouse Inns for Jubilee

A pub owned by Brazen client Farmhouse Inns commissioned a throne made of Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and roast potatoes created for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

It was commissioned by general managers Julianne Martin and Donna Piling, who run the Bramley Farm pub in Altrincham near Manchester, to share their passion for the upcoming Platinum Jubilee celebrations next month.

That’s not all though as Farmhouse Inns Bramley Farm is rebranding to Ma’amhouse Inns temporarily until the celebrations are over and a banner is to be added to the exterior of the pub.

The creative jubilee story won 81 media hits right across the country.

June

New Cost-of-Living Crisis Citroen costs just £20 a month

The Citroën Ami is being called a game-changer for those looking to commute to the office for a small fee. For just £20 a month drivers will be able to take advantage of the zero-emission Ami quadricycle – a four-wheeled “microcar”.

Billed by some commentators as a ‘cost-of-living-crisis car’, the Ami features a 6kW electric motor, with the new model reaching a top speed of 27.9mph.

A 5.5kWh battery gives it a range of over 46 miles, with Citroën banking on it being used for inner-city commutes. It measures just 2.4 metres long and 1.4 metres wide, with no boot or bonnet.

July

Diet Coke appoints Kate Moss as creative director

Supermodel Kate Moss signed a £5m deal with Diet Coke to become ‘creative director’ for the brand.

She started her new role as the brand celebrates its 40th anniversary and helped launch the new Diet Coke ‘Love What You Love’ campaign.

The supermodel was brought on board to bring her ‘unique aesthetic and style to the brand’.

The subtle nod to her previous association with…err…Coke…is, quite frankly, genius and has won column inches everywhere this week.

August

Royal Mail welcomes football ‘Home’

A picture says a thousand words, they say. And Royal Mail got it spot on with their social post following the Lionesses Euros victory.

The simple post had a photo of a football wrapped in brown parcel paper with a couple of postage stamps and the word ‘Home’ as the address hand-written on it (it’s coming home…in case you hadn’t already guessed).

Simple but brilliant – and won loads of engagement online, as well as critical acclaim.

September

The London Dungeon introduces 'Holly and Phil' queue jump pass

London Dungeon cheekily joined in on the queue-jumping row featuring ITV presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield with a hilarious new offer to visitors.

The This Morning presenters may have strongly denied jumping the queue to witness the Queen’s lying in state at Westminster Hall last week…but it didn’t stop some brilliant brand banter.

London Dungeon visitors who this week ask for a ‘Holly & Phil’ when buying their tickets will gain ‘queue jumping rights’ for the same price as a standard ticket.

Brilliant!

October

Her Majesty the Queen named as Britain’s most iconic woman

Brazen client fenjal revealed that Queen Elizabeth II is the most iconic woman of the past 60 years.

The late monarch was the clear winner of the fenjal poll which asked more than 2,000 Brits to vote for their top female role models.

Diana, Princess of Wales came in second place, while Catholic nun Mother Teresa was in third.

The story, released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the luxury skincare and bathing brand, landed widespread coverage across national and regional media this week – mopping up a raft of national media hits including the Mail Online, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Metro, The Sun and Daily Star.

November

Bounty bars removed from Celebrations tubs in trial

Chocolate manufacturer Mars Wrigley is eliminating Bounty bars from of its Celebrations tubs.

The coconut-chocolate, a mainstay of the Christmas Celebrations tub, is ‘disliked’ by nearly 40% of Brits, Mars says.

So, a special run of No Bounty tubs wenrt on sale at Tesco stores in the run-up to Christmas.

However, Mars said it hasn’t decided if the treats will be banished for good. Because for 18% of chocolate fans, it is still their top choc of choice.

Removing the mini-icon has won huge debate on socials and tonnes of media coverage.

December

All I want for Christmas is Mariah Carey

Booking.com has teamed up with pop icon Mariah Carey to give fans Mariah’s Ultimate Holiday Experience in New York City this month.

A pair of guests will be get a weekend-long experience specially curated by Mariah, including a three-night stay at The Plaza, a Fairmont Hotel in New York, in a luxury room fit for the ‘Queen of Christmas’ herself.

The lucky bookers will also be treated to an epic itinerary filled with holiday attractions around NYC, including a cocktails and Christmas card photoshoot at a private space in Mariah’s gorgeous New York City penthouse apartment. The experience also comes complete with flights and airport transfers.

And Mariah fans have gone nuts over on social media – expect a bunfight!

Want more information? Contact us here

About the Author