A brilliant guide to low-cost PR stunts

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Product Description

This fun and friendly book looks at real–life PR stunts that will blow your mind and inspire you to develop innovative and creative ways to get your company noticed. PR guru Peter Shankman chronicles the most ridiculous, outrageous, and possibly crazy PR stunts of all time—explaining why some work and others don’t. This is a funny, insightful guide to winning the PR game.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #287098 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 211 pages

Management Today, August 2007
"...this book contains some useful insights into the world of PR's 'outrageous stunts' "

From the Back Cover
What would you do to get your business noticed?

Every day consumers are bombarded with advertising and public relations messages. With so many companies competing for limited consumer dollars, how can you get your company′s message out? Sometimes, a successful PR stunt is just what the doctor ordered! Can We Do That?! looks at real–life PR stunts that will blow your mind and inspire you to think nontraditionally and find new and creative ways to get your company noticed.

PR Guru Peter Shankman chronicles some of the most ridiculous, outrageous, and possibly crazy PR stunts of all time. Wading through the silliness to get to the root of why some stunts work and some don′t, Shankman offers a funny and insightful look at what it takes to win the game of PR. You′ll learn how and why:

• A stolen Yoo–Hoo truck became a promotional and media relations coup
• RegisterFree.com′s "Free Hour" promotion was so successful it virtually shut down Internet access on the East Coast for nine hours
• More than 100 CEOs, dot.com workers, and media figures jumped out of a plane in the name of brand visibility
• A small yarn shop in upstate New York caught on with hip city dwellers interested in eating their sweaters
• And more outrageous ideas!

Shankman looks at these and many more case studies and provides the historical background and follow–up needed to fully gauge their success. But most important, Can We Do That?! shows you how to develop effective PR campaigns on your own. Getting noticed is no easy task, especially for small businesses. This handy guide to guerrilla PR explores the tactics and stunts that work—and shows you how to apply them to your own business without busting your budget.

About the Author
Peter Shankman is the CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a marketing and PR strategy firm, whose clients have included Snapple Beverage Group, Napster, and the Discovery Channel. He is also CEO of AirTroductions, the Internet′s first in–flight dating and networking service. He lives in New York and frequently speaks at trade shows and conferences on PR, marketing, and creativity.

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Customer Reviews

THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ
Well, not only have I read this book, I've also read the review quoted above. This is what Management Today had to say in full: "Underneath the painful colloquialisms, smug self-promotion and condescending tone, this book contains some useful insights into the world of outrageous PR stunts."

I am surprised Management Today were so generous. It's not a great review by any means, but it entirely fails to express how awful this book really is. The content ranged from the clichéd ("Everything should be a potential media opportunity... as a chance to get more media and more exposure for your client.") to the conceited ("...I am known. The media knows me...they know my clients.") - useless to both PR newcomers and industry practitioners. Here are some more gems:

"If it's not important, it's not worth talking about."
"Don't bore people."
"To be creative, you have to do different things than you are doing right now."
"...brainstorming will produce the most insane ideas when you least expect them."
"You get one chance to make a first impression."
"Don't expect. Plan."
"Whatever you do, don't give up. Don't rest on your laurels."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."

Really, it doesn't get any better than this... and I don't mean that in the "sipping G&Ts on a Bajan beach at sunset" sort of a way. Shankman's advice on effective headline writing is terrible. Here's a one of his examples:

ACME COMPANY OFFERS A "DAY OF THANKS" TO LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR RECORD GROWTH AND PROFITS, SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL ON NEW SPACE AND WILL GIVE BACK TO CENTERVILLE'S LESS FORTUNATE ON MARCH 15TH

If someone on my team wrote that in a release, I'd suggest they seek employment elsewhere.

Knowing that I had paid hard currency for "Can we Do That" makes me feel soiled. Shankman's book is to the public relations industry what dog-dirt is to the lastest collection from Jimmy Choo. I would wager everyone who has ever studied "You Can Do That" is now less intelligent for having read it. I would award it 0 out of 5 if that were possible - and may God have mercy on Shankman's soul.

Excellent in a multi-dimensional kind of way
I loved this book. I loved this book because I learned a lot but also because it was fun to read. It's an excellent book in that it teaches you stuff, gives you an insight into the world of PR, provides real life examples, motivates you to get off your arse and do things, helps you to think differently and it also is encouraging because it simplifies things and gives you hope that you can achieve some similar success. A definite must buy!

Yes we can!
Peter Shankman is a man for our times. He's one of the brightest, most connected publicity experts in the world, and this book shows why. If you are in need of ideas to promote your business at low cost, take a look at his book. You will be amazed and inspired.