In a world saturated with information, simply broadcasting a message isn’t enough: it’s essential to connect with the audience and evoke emotion. In public relations, creativity is key to ensuring a campaign leaves a lasting impression.
In this post we’ll tell you how we can create memorable messages that truly make a difference.
Why is creativity key in PR?
People receive hundreds of messages every day, so traditional approaches often go unnoticed. In this context, brands that communicate in an original way not only stand out but also build trust and become memorable.
Furthermore, studies such as Adobe’s State of Creativity Report suggest that being more creative has a direct impact on business results: 82% of companies state that creativity brings significant financial benefits, including increased customer acquisition and retention. In other words, investing in original and well-executed ideas is not just a matter of brand awareness or visibility, but also of commercial effectiveness and tangible returns.
Creativity in PR is not limited to having an idea itself; it extends to the format, the chosen channel, and the timing of the message. For example, campaigns that combine storytelling with humor, surprise, or social actions manage to engage the audience more actively, encourage content sharing, and ensure the message is remembered long after it has been seen.
Where can you apply creativity in PR?
- In campaign concepts: you can create concepts for press releases, media emails, product launches, press events…
- In communication channels: for activations with influencers, visuals and copy on social media, and even physical mailings to the home of an opinion leader.
- To find more emotional or relevant storytelling angles within the press content itself.
Elements that a memorable message must have
For a message to be memorable, we need to take care of several key elements that make it easier for the audience to remember and engage with it:
1. Clarty:
A simple and direct message is always remembered.
2. Emotion:
Laughter, surprise, or inspiration make the message stick in the audience’s mind.
3. Relevance:
Adapt the message to the context and the needs of the audience.
4. Originality:
Avoid clichés and look for unexpected angles.
Some ideas to foster creativity in PR
Being creative isn’t about having an innate talent or luck but about applying strategies that allow ideas to flow and transform into impactful messages. There are many ways to bring a message to life and connect authentically with your audience; here are some examples to help you arrive at that final idea:
Unfiltered brainstorming
The riskiest ideas emerge from initial creative freedom. You can start by sitting in front of a notebook for a few minutes and writing down any idea that comes to mind, no matter how absurd it seems; or gather your entire team (from top management to junior staff, marketing, finance, HR…) and share the project with them. Diverse teams tend to be more creative. This is supported by extensive research in organizational psychology and business management!
At our agency, when a campaign pitch comes in, we bring the whole team together to share different opinions, perspectives, and ideas. Starting with an initial brief explaining the project and its objectives, we let our imaginations run wild, allowing crazy or unexpected ideas to emerge. These are later refined and transformed into strategic and highly creative proposals.
Visual storytelling
Images, videos, or graphics can transform a flat message into a memorable one. Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Using videos, graphics, or photographs can transform a flat message into something memorable and emotional. Visual storytelling activates different areas of the brain, improves information retention, and creates a more immediate connection with the audience.
Data storytelling
Telling stories from data transforms complex information into digestible and engaging content. Numbers alone can go unnoticed but presented as part of a clear and emotional narrative, they can convince, educate, or inspire an audience in surprising ways.
Surprising collaborations
Involving influencers, other brands, or external voices can bring fresh and unexpected perspectives. Sometimes, the key is combining different worlds, generating surprise and conversation around the campaign. These collaborations help expand reach and give an original twist to traditional messages.
An example of a surprising collaboration is “AcceptAllCookies”, a campaign we carried out together with Avast to raise awareness about online security and privacy. What do a delicious chocolate cookie and the cookies we accept when visiting a website have in common? Our team decided to find the connection and launched a 360° PR campaign. With the collaboration of Alma Obregón, we created educational workshops that taught technical concepts about internet cookies while baking sweet treats. This collaboration allowed us to teach technical concepts in an entertaining and memorable way, turning a complex topic into a relatable and surprising experience, and creating an original link between cybersecurity and the culinary world.
Make changes
Try changing your work location, swap your computer for a sheet of paper, draw, change the word order… In general, when you change patterns, you come up with creative solutions you hadn’t noticed before and connect ideas that don’t usually mix.
How to start applying creativity to your PR campaign without losing the strategic vision
In PR, creativity alone isn’t enough: a good idea only has value when it’s integrated into a clear strategy. In this section, we want to show how innovation and planning can be combined so that a campaign not only surprises but also achieves specific objectives and generates measurable results.
Where do I begin? The key is to first define the campaign’s objective, as well as the target audience. From there, we need to consider which format or channel will allow your message to connect with that audience.
Once you’re clear on the “where” and the “for whom”, start generating ideas without restrictions, try different approaches, and combine formats: visual storytelling, social actions, collaborations, or interactive experiences. Then, don’t forget to set measurable KPIs so you can analyze your campaign and know whether it was successful. By following these steps, you can apply creativity strategically, ensuring that your campaign is not only seen but also remembered, shared, and impactful.
Through real-world examples from LF Channel, you’ll see how we’ve taken original concepts from brainstorming to execution, achieving impact and relevance without losing sight of the strategic focus. These cases serve as inspiration and guidance for PR professionals looking to create campaigns that stand out and remain memorable.
Some examples – #ElSecretodelguaraní – Ron El Supremo
El Supremo Rum was arriving in Spain and wanted to showcase the legacy and cultural value of its product, highlighting the secrets of Guarani culture (Paraguay). Our agency launched the marketing and communications campaign under the creative concept: #ElSecretodelGuaraní.
Our campaign included a memorable concept:
- The word “secret” adds mystery, creates anticipation, and encapsulates the tradition of the El Supremo rum process, which has been made the same way for 500 years. This is the first time this unique process will be revealed outside of Paraguay.
- The Guaraní Aquifer, named after the indigenous people who once inhabited what is now Paraguay, is the second largest underground freshwater basin in the world. Its water is free from contamination and is used in the distillation process of Ron El Supremo. This approach highlights the idea of the Paraguayan “cultural legacy” as a distinguishing value of the rum.
The main purpose was to introduce the Ron El Supremo brand to the Spanish market, creating an engaging and impactful narrative that went beyond simple product promotion.
#Mipuertaestaabierta – Nextdoor
The #MiPuertaEstáAbierta campaign launched for the Nextdoor platform was an initiative designed to foster solidarity, neighborhood connection and combat loneliness in neighborhoods, especially focused on older people.
The Nextdoor platform had two objectives:
- The goal was to bring the digital interactions from the Nextdoor app into the real world, encouraging neighbors to meet and build stronger communities.
- To address individualism and loneliness, offering a platform for people, especially elderly residents, to feel more integrated into their environment.
We decided to launch the #MiPuertaEstáAbierta campaign to encourage neighbors on the platform to offer their help and companionship in the neighborhood. Through the platform, neighbors organized groups and activities to support each other, and the hashtag #MiPuertaEstáAbierta became a symbol of their willingness to help, whether it was running errands, socializing, or simply being available to other members of the community.
The campaign helped generate community mobilization and greater media coverage, highlighting the value of altruism and generosity in Spanish neighborhoods.
https://www.elmundo.es/f5/comparte/2019/03/15/5c8b75acfdddfff53f8b45c9.html
In short, in PR a creative message doesn’t just communicate news: it establishes a connection, generates emotions, and stays in the audience’s memory long after it’s received. It’s not just about saying something different but doing so in a way that is impactful and relevant to those who receive it. Creativity allows a message to stand out not only for what it says, but for how it says it, the format it uses, and the moment it reaches the audience.
In an environment where everyone is competing to be heard, where audience attention is limited and fleeting, creativity becomes the decisive factor that makes your message truly resonate, be shared, discussed, and remembered.
If you want to launch an unforgettable campaign, contact us and we’ll be happy to help you achieve it.
