Elmo’s check in, Domino’s take off, and CALM’s calls to action: The best PR and comms campaigns of 2024
In a busy and high-pressure year for PR, the industry stepped up with creative comms for brand and awareness campaigns alike.
We asked PR experts to share their favourite PR and comms campaigns of 2024 – here are shout outs for great work from McDonald’s, Led By Donkeys, the UK Black Comms Network, and Sesame Street (to name just a few)…
Much love for Elmo
Estelle Boon, group managing director – brand, social & influence, Ketchum
‘For me it’s a person. Elmo. Yes, Elmo. Yes, he’s a person.
‘In January, he (okay, Sesame Street’s social team) posted on X, asking how everybody was doing. As of December that post has had more than 360k active engagements. While we know the virality of a social media post cannot be predicted, the simplicity of this human-first approach that stayed true to “brand Elmo” and his fandom, gave it a running start.’
The Migration Museum’s take on the England football team
Gorki Duhra, press manager, Royal National Institute of Blind People RNIB
‘With immigration a General Election issue, and the widespread abuse suffered by black players at Euro 2020 fresh in the mind, a poster for the Migration Museum that pondered what the England team would look like without immigration was simple and powerful. Only Pickford, Stones and Foden remain in the starting 11, while the names of stars such as Bellingham, Saka, Walker and Kane are all struck out.’
Leading comms from Led By Donkeys
Stephen and Sarah Waddington, directors of Wadds Inc. and founders of Socially Mobile
‘Led by Donkeys is well-known for its political activist campaigns. The National Covid Memorial Wall of hearts is a lasting legacy for the people who died during the pandemic. In February, it laid out more than 11,000 sets of children’s clothing on Bournemouth beach in protest at the war in Gaza. The clothing stretched for five kilometres and was a powerful visual representation of the children killed on both sides of the conflict since 7 October 2023.’
UK Black Comms Networks pushing industry inclusion further forward
Ronke Lawal, PR and communications consultant, Ariatu Communications
‘As Chair of The Women’s Group for UK Black Comms Network I am biased, but the ‘One Step Forward Two Steps Black’ report in collaboration with Opinium was a powerful and meaningful campaign that the industry at large should continue to pay attention to. We cannot continue to allow such huge disparities to prevail if we wish to nurture talent from across diverse communities.’
McDonald’s raised smiles (and important issues)
Jonathan Curtis, chief commercial officer, Grayling Global
‘For me the standout was the McDonald’s ‘The Meal’.
‘The campaign removed the iconic Happy Meal smile to help children understand it’s okay not to be happy. As a Dad of two kids going through the trials and tribulations of schools and friendships this was particularly pertinent and was executed with a simple but brilliant bit of creative thinking that only McDonalds could do.’
A cheeky collab for Budgy Smugglers and Transport for London
Gareth Hoyle, managing director, Coveragely
‘Back in July, Budgy Smugglers and Transport for London partnered for a fun, but cheeky, campaign (pardon the pun). The swimwear brand got together with the country’s most talked about travel network and launched a new collection of swimming trunks featuring some of London transport’s most iconic moquette seat designs. And it worked. Unsurprisingly, the media and social media lapped up this news and the brands were able to secure plenty of coverage in a variety of titles, such as the Evening Standard, Retail Times, TrendHunter and Famous Campaigns.
‘It was able to generate a buzz on social media, the quirky campaign came with some interesting pictures of models looking freezing on the tube and in front of various famous London locations and it had a great regional angle.’
Gaming for good, from the British Heart Foundation
Rachel Humphreys, PR lead, Digital Hub, Motorpoint
‘One of my favourite campaigns of the year was British Heart Foundation’s ‘Streams of (un)consciousness’. The campaign targeted Gen Zers through gaming and streaming platforms to educate them on CPR, as there was a significant lack of CPR knowledge specifically in this age group. This is a great example of how digital campaigns can have a real-world impact, raise awareness and educate.’
Purpose-driven comms from The Woodland Trust and Clean Creatives were very welcome
Alice Regester, CEO and co-founder, 33Seconds
‘There have been some great purpose driven campaigns so far this year, encouraging consumers to live more sustainably, spend time in nature and appreciate our planet. The Woodland Trust and Adam Buxton partnering up to encourage us to plant more trees and The National Trust’s ‘Space to Feel’ campaign are a couple that spring to mind.
‘As well as this, there have been some great industry-led campaigns to encourage communications professionals to be more ethical. This has included the Clean Creatives pledge against working with fossil fuel companies – over 1,000 agencies and practitioners have signed up so far already.‘
A call to action from CALM
Rachel Irvine, founder and CEO, Irvine Partners
‘A notable mention is CALM’s ‘Missed Birthdays‘ campaign, which aimed to raise awareness for youth suicide in the UK.
‘The initiative included call to actions, kits, and resources to help those in need, and personal stories through screens and audio in the exhibit and online. It took something celebratory (a balloon) and spun it on its head to show the opposite, which resulted in a creative, poignant and memorable campaign.’
Ryanair flying high
Pippa Brindley, managing director, The Comms Collective
‘Ryanair is just so good at keeping everyone talking. Their no-filter, daring approach to marketing makes them impossible to ignore. Their online presence shows that they know exactly how to grab attention without taking themselves too seriously. They’ve built a hilarious, self-aware personality that works because it feels authentic. Even if you don’t fly Ryanair, you’re probably following their socials because they’re just that entertaining.’
Domino’s took flight, too
Jane Hunt, co-founder and CEO, JBH The Digital PR Agency
‘Over the summer, Domino’s capitalised on their iconic garlic and herb sauce by bottling it in a travel-sized format. This playful product innovation captured consumers’ imaginations, creating buzz and reinforcing brand loyalty. It was a brilliant mix of product PR and a light-hearted nod to customer demand.’
St John Ambulance kept it simple and effective
Kelly Pepworth, managing director, Speed Communications
‘My favourite was the CPR Bra for St John Ambulance. The campaign was based on a simple gender disparity insight that one in three people are afraid to give CPR to a woman.
‘Great execution with the creation of an educational bra, sharing insight on what action to take when dealing with a cardiac emergency. It was worn and endorsed by key female influencers from the world of football, music and broadcast creating great visuals as well as reach. Simple but very effective.’
Premier Inn checks out
Ed Sheldon, account director, Tank
‘The PR campaign that got the Tank team talking the most this year is a recent one. Premier Inn’s What’s Occur Inn campaign to rename its Barry Island hotel ahead of the Gavin and Stacey finale was inspired. It’s a great example of a reactive campaign that puts a brand at the heart of wider cultural conversations.’
Thank you to O2’s AI Granny
Jo Preston, group board director, Teamspirit
‘O2’s AI Granny was a genuine phenomenon this year – created to keep scammers on the phone and waste their time, it really tapped into the zeitgeist.
‘You know you’ve done something right when you’re mentioned on ‘Have I got News for You’ and Chrissy Teigen’s Instagram!’
Specsavers stood out
Nick Owens, founder, Magnify PR
‘Specsavers’ campaign in Edinburgh stands out. The creators made it look like one of their vehicles had smashed into a bollard with their now iconic “Should Have Gone to Specsavers” slogan alongside it. Funny, simple and clever – three of the things campaigns often fail to be.’
Dove keeping it real
Riley Gardiner, founder, No Strings Public Relations
‘In 2024, Dove’s extension of its “Real Beauty” ethos stood out. Featuring women from diverse backgrounds, including Michaela Coel’s powerful portrayal of unfiltered skin, it challenged beauty norms.
‘This wasn’t just an ad—it became a movement, driven by its commitment to inclusivity and sincerity, tapping into deeper social currents.’
Gold for Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage
Fiona Scott, managing director, Scott Media
‘I loved the Paralympics (I do declare an interest, as I work with Paralympian), Channel 4 did a great job of making it exciting, funny, engaging and didn’t focus on disability, but focussed on elite athletes.’
Inclusivity wasn’t impossible for Adidas
Joseph Hagan, founder, Streamline PR
‘Another highlight was Adidas’ “Impossible is Nothing” campaign, which told inspiring stories while embracing inclusivity.’
Horror film campaigns had real substance
Damon Culbert, digital PR manager, Add People
‘I’m a horror movie fan and there has been some real success stories in terms of marketing and PR through 2024. ‘The Substance’ has put a lot of effort into promotion on social media and taken advantage of user-generated content to keep conversations around the film going long after its release.
‘The best campaign I saw, however, was for ‘Longlegs’. Its promotion was definitely behind its box office success and releasing news about lead actress Maika Monroe’s heart rate when she saw the antagonist for the first time was an interesting and unique use of a tried and tested format.’
Want to make a start on your own winning PR and comms campaigns for the year ahead? Check out these 25 PR and communications trends for 2025.
Leave a Comment