Can stunt marketing build long-lasting brands?

Is stunt marketing style over substance, or can it form part of a tapestry of long- and short-term tactics as part of an overall growth strategy? We decided to ask a few smart people for their thoughts.

Perpetua Png — interdisciplinary artist and founder of D² Labs

As with everything, context is key. I think it really depends on the brand and what their goals are. Sometimes a stunt can be a something unexpected and a much-needed revival to brand comms, spiking interest and attention. But this will be useless if they haven’t thought about avenues to capitalise on this. Before conducting their stunt, brands need to think about how a stunt aligns with their overall goals and plan on how they will ride the wave of attention. I also think timing is important, brands need to think about whether they have established enough comms around who they are and what they do/the problem they are solving, i.e. the value proposition. 

I think that within the context of ‘hype culture’ and virality, combined with consumers increasingly short attention span and mounting financial pressures, brands may struggle to deliver something that will stand out and above the noise. What I’d be interested in seeing is a slower, subtle and sustainable approach to marketing, one that is values and connection driven. At the end of the day, a brand’s expertise in solving a specific problem and delivering value will determine the most effective marketing strategy, whether through stunts or more traditional forms of marketing. 

Sean Cotton — CEO of Coegi

Stunt marketing can certainly create a cultural splash, driving short-term awareness and even revenue through powerful word-of-mouth. When aligned with brand and audience values, these stunts can authentically captivate attention. However, building lasting brands requires more than just fleeting moments of virality. The key lies in sustaining momentum post-stunt. A single event, no matter how eye-catching, cannot compensate for consistent, multi-channel engagement. Brands must leverage the initial buzz to foster ongoing connections with their audience. Effective brand building combines bold moves with persistent, value-driven communication. While stunts can kick-start conversations, it’s the continued dialogue that transforms curious onlookers into loyal advocates. In today’s attention economy, longevity comes from maintaining relevance across all touchpoints where audiences engage.

John Viccars — International Marketing Strategy Lead at tms

‘Stunt marketing’ lost its edge to ‘hype culture’. The one-off stunt sometimes works for brands, but increasingly multi-dimensional ‘hype culture’ has taken over, and brands have more ways to ‘drop’ more exciting moments through collabs, fandoms, experiences, and more. That are more desirable, scalable and unexpected. But crucially ‘hype culture’ can go beyond the headline, become more shareable, and drive behaviour. Possessing far greater potential for long-term brand building and creating fans, rather than short-term marketing stunts, designed to grab momentary attention. Marketing stunts may well keep their place as an integrated part of a campaign, to drive awareness. But I see less of a role for one-off stunts, because there are more exciting ways to grab consumer attention when brands lean into the ‘hype culture’ to build themselves.

Peter Boolkah — Founder at Visibility SEO

There is no doubt that stunt marketing gets quick short-term attention. It is designed to create a buzz. If you can align the stunt to the interests and values of the target audience and tailor the message, then it can work very well, potentially go viral and reach a wide audience. However, if it is not properly targeted (and it is more difficult to do this with stunt marketing) it will attract a wide range of people who may not be at all interested in the product or service. You therefore get the attention but it doesn’t translate to sales and ROI. I believe that results driven and targeted marketing which generates long-term loyalty and engagement is much more beneficial to companies. For stunt marketing to be effective beyond just creating vanity metrics, it should be part of a broader, well-rounded marketing strategy, otherwise stunt marketing really is just a vanity project.

Olaf Van Gerwen — Founder and Global Creative Director at Chuck Studios

Stunt marketing is simply not designed to build brand. In the same way performance marketing doesn’t build brands. Name one brand that has become famous using social and digital channels only. It generates quick, intense spikes of attention. It’s designed to support and articulate an existing positioning. Take KitKat for example. We all know KitKat is about breaks, so the Hammock Billboard made all the sense in the world. Stunts just for the sake of attention are the one-night stand of marketing: quick, meaningless, and most of the time, not designed for any sort of longevity. 

Kyle Matthew Duckitt — Head of Cultural Strategy at BBH Singapore

Stunt marketing is a bit like playing with fire — done right, it’s impressive; done wrong, you’ll get burned. We’ve got two types: the flash-in-the-pan stunts that are all sizzle and no steak, and the clever ones that actually align with brand values. Unfortunately, there’s too much of the former cluttering up our feeds these days. But when it’s done right? It captures attention and sticks in people’s minds long-term. These well-executed stunts create memory structures that are more ingrained and more meaningful than your average marketing tactic. The real challenge is balancing short-term buzz with long-term brand building. Stunts that prioritise shock over substance risk creating cognitive dissonance, feeling immediately inauthentic to consumers. So, here’s the key: Be crystal clear on your brand’s point of view, what it stands for, and how it’s currently perceived. Then build from there, with a specific goal in mind. Get it right, and you might just create something that lasts longer than the average TikTok trend.

Featured image: Jonathan Portillo / Pexels