In the rarefied realm of marketing, where creativity often competes with clutter, stunt marketing has emerged as a visible and polarising tactic. This approach sees brands pushing boundaries, crafting attention-grabbing campaigns designed to provoke conversation. When executed with clarity and cultural understanding, stunt marketing can propel a brand into widespread public discourse, generating buzz and recall.
However, as with any high-risk approach, the possibility of miscalculation remains significant. Recently, skincare brand Hyphen put out reports suggesting that Kriti Sanon had stepped down as their Chief Customer Officer, sparking speculation about her future with the brand. The company has since clarified that the narrative was part of a planned campaign—one that began with ambiguity before revealing her new avatar as the brand’s ‘SPF Police.’ Consider the YesMadam public relations stunt—which ‘fired’ its entire staff before revealing it was a publicity gimmick. The response online was swift, with criticism directed at the brand for insensitivity. Zomato’s attempt to hire a ‘Chief People Officer’ with the condition that the selected candidate would pay a fee and only begin receiving a salary after a year was widely criticised, with media reports describing it as a publicity stunt. Then there was Poonam Pandey’s attempt to ‘fake her own death’ to raise awareness about cervical cancer. The move drew backlash, with critics calling it insensitive and attention-seeking.
Reflecting on what went wrong in the ‘faking death’ campaign, Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang, the agency responsible for the campaign, says, “Our goal was to ignite meaningful conversations around cervical cancer and drive greater awareness. Sometimes, life has a way of being both a teacher and a guide; it raps you on the knuckles while offering a ray of hope, reaffirming the sincerity of your intentions. Our objective was always pure. As with any creative endeavour, sometimes we can get deeply absorbed in the idea itself and fail to fully consider all the risks and potential impacts on people’s sentiments. In hindsight, this is where we went wrong. This experience serves as a critical learning moment for us.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Burger King’s placement of its hoarding behind Hrithik Roshan generated significant traction. The activation was followed by Roshan signing on as a brand ambassador. Puma’s response to Anushka Sharma’s tweet about not being a brand ambassador despite wearing the brand’s sweatshirt also gained attention. The company subsequently signed her, converting what could have become a reputational issue into a brand moment.
Explaining the thinking behind Burger King’s approach, Kapil Grover, Group Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Burger King says, “With a core TG of Gen Z and millennial audiences, we at Burger King are always evolving our communication strategy to speak to our audiences in their language. Whether it is memes or unique POVs, our audiences are looking for real and authentic brands who can grasp their attention in the ever-cluttered world of advertising. This is where a never-before, celebrity hack-style content, based on the insight of the ‘great Indian jugaad’ became the tenet of our Stunner Campaign with Hrithik Roshan. This campaign is a clean example of hackvertising—hijacking media and public conversation through cheeky, self-deprecating humour, while playfully exaggerating how far the brand would go to land a celebrity for its everyday value `50 Stunner menu. This new-age campaign went viral helping us earn brand love, increase mind share, and generate trials for our `50 Stunner Menu.”
Adding to this, Vikram Pandey (Spiky), CCO, Leo Burnett South Asia, the agency behind the campaign, says, “Use of celebrities in advertising tends to fall in a predictable format. Almost nobody believes that the product endorsed by the celeb is also used by the celeb. So, when Burger King wanted to promote its `50 menus, we decided to use one of the biggest celebrities out there, in a way it had never been done before. Now, the Internet loves controversies. And as expected, the stunt garnered a lot of traction. We even used unsuspecting pap accounts to drop the video for it to feel genuine. We let the conversation brew for a few days, before launching a follow-up campaign that showcased Hrithik about to sue Burger King for the stunt— just that he gets distracted by the taste of the new menu and decides to let go of the idea.”
Wakefit has also engaged in culturally responsive campaigns. The company launched the ‘Gaddagiri’ campaign, referencing Zomato’s ‘Chief People Officer’ activation, as reported in the media. It also referenced Poonam Pandey’s ‘fake death stunt’ in its communication.
Responding to the categorisation of the work as stunt marketing, Kunal Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Wakefit says, “We don’t believe in stunt marketing. The ‘Gaddagiri’ campaign was not a gimmick, but a thoughtful response to a deep cultural insight. It was designed to address a simple yet profound truth: lack of proper sleep often leads to poor decisions and impulsive behaviours. From road rage to erratic workplace antics, many of these situations can be traced back to sleep deprivation. Our tagline, ‘Lafda tab hota, jab tum barabar nai sota,’ humorously connects these everyday frustrations to the importance of a good night’s sleep. At its core, Gaddagiri reflects our belief in creating purposeful campaigns that balance cultural resonance with Wakefit.co’s brand ethos. This was never about spectacle, it was about connection.”
As brands continue to experiment with formats designed to command attention, stunt marketing remains a visible lever. Its outcomes, however, depend less on scale and more on cultural timing, intent, and execution. When these align, the impact can be significant. When they do not, the reputational cost can be immediate and lasting.
